Munich

In recent years, there has been an influx of refugees from Arab countries, primarily from Syria. However, this situation is typical not only for Munich but also for Europe as a whole.

Munich is the cradle of German Nazism. In 1920, the National Socialist German Workers' Party was founded here and came to power in Germany in 1933. In the same year, 17 kilometers from Munich, in Dachau, was organized the first concentration camp, where the political opponents of Hitler were imprisoned (about 70 thousand of them died). At the same time, it was Munich, like no other city in Germany, that did not accept the ideology of Nazism and showed the strongest resistance to it, creating corresponding movements.

World War II ravaged Munich greatly: numerous airstrikes almost completely destroyed the historic center and reduced the population by half.

As the war ended, the city was rebuilt during the American occupation. In the middle of the XX century, Munich was already a city with a population of 1 million or more, the largest industrial, political, and cultural center of the country.

Since 1962, in the first decade of February, the city has been hosting the annual International Conference on Political and Security Affairs.

The city entered the XXI century with a highly developed economy dominated by modern technology. In 2011, Munich was ranked in the top ten cities with the highest quality of life (4th place).

• Check out the local beer. Munich foams all year round because beer is the main regional drink here. There are so many hops here that the legendary Oktoberfest Bier has to be brewed every year, especially for the legendary Oktoberfest beer festival. Make sure you order a Bavarian sausage for your beer — they are especially delicious in their homeland.
• Go to the pinacotheca. No, they don't serve beer or pinot noir there. We would like to say: "It's a pity!" but we will not. The pinacotheca will spin your head without intoxicating drinks. The works of Dürer, Botticelli, Da Vinci, Rubens, Manet, Van Gogh are in the Alte Pinakothek. You should go to the Neue Pinakothek to get the impressions from the works of Goya, Munch, Rodin, Picasso, and Renoir. Lovers of pop art and abstract expressionism should check out the Pinakothek der Moderne.
• Admire Munich from a height. The best place for this is the Frauenkirche observation deck. Not only can you see the whole city in the palm of your hand, but you can also see the Alps! A snow-covered mountain range, red roofs through a wide-angle lens — are a recipe for getting chic shots.
• Get acquainted with science at the Deutsches Museum. There is an entire island on the Isar River in Munich, designated as a large technical museum. It's more impressive than an amusement park, as each exhibit is interactive. Mines and submarines, airships and space capsules, guitar strings, and diffusion — the museum will turn science inside out for you and prove that learning is fun.
• Visit the castle of Mad King Ludwig. Bavaria is famous for its inaccessible castles and fortresses, but Neuschwanstein is without exaggeration the most fantastic among them. It was built by King Ludwig II, and in every brick of the building, you can feel the ruler's obsession with Wagner's operas. Every year in September, as a tribute to the mad ruler, the music of the great composer is performed within the walls of the New Swan Castle. So if you are in Munich in early autumn, be sure to book a tour.
• Take a look at Lego Europe. An hour's drive from Munich takes you to Legoland, a city made of construction sets. The fantastic amusement park is divided into four themed zones: Miniland, Adventure Land, Pirate Land, Knights Kingdom. And all of them are made of huge colorful blocks!
• Visit the "crazy ice cream maker". The ice cream shop at 77 Amalienstraße serves this dessert for real gourmets: with a taste of beers, sausages, gin, almonds, and goodness knows what else. It's easy to find this establishment: navigate by a long queue. And do not make a mistake, take several tastes at once! You can worry about your shape later.
• Go to the BMW Museum. It's probably a paradise for car enthusiasts. The majestic construction of four shining cylinders makes an impression while you are on the way to the museum. Walking from hall to hall, examining the models of one of the best concerns in the world, you unwittingly come to a state of childish excitement. The headquarters of the Bavarian car giant is close to the Olympic Park so that you can combine a tour with a stroll through the shady alleys.