Truly A 'Suds City'

Munich Quite A Town For Beauty And Beer

The city was named for the place where it began, a 12th century Benedictine monastery in southern Germany. It is still called "Munchen," a German word meaning "monks." Early on, it became the seat of the Wittelsbach family, the dukes of Bavaria, who made it their capital. The Wittelsbach Dynasty, dukes, kings and emperors, ruled and prospered, acquiring enormous wealth and property through 800 years. Their reign was ended in 1918.

Oompah band marches past the Glockenspiel. Twin Towers loom in the distance.

I first visited Munich about 25 years ago and I was curious to see what changes had occurred in the short period of time between then and now.

Changes were immediately evident at the airport, which in 2007 was named "The Best Airport in Europe" for the third consecutive year. Ninety-four airlines fly in and out of Munich where two huge terminals flank a handsome center space with a partially open roof and room enough for special events. Locals from the city and surrounding communities often come to shop, dine, hear concerts and attend festivals. When I came through one Sunday last December, a Christmas Market was buzzing and an ice skating rink was packed with families. I made it a point to have a beer and a soft, warm pretzel with sweet mustard at the only brewery in the world located in an airport.

And that, thank goodness, is one thing that hasn't changed. Beer remains the most popular libation in Munich. I had another beer when I met my friends at the Ratskeller underneath the Rathaus (Town Hall). It's common throughout Germany to find a cellar restaurant under City Hall. The one in Munich is famous, full of carved chairs, vaulted, painted ceilings, and scurrying waiters, and it's usually crowded. In a corner of the room, a lederhosen-clad oompah band was playing a tuba, trombone and clarinet for a group of portly, white-haired gentlemen. These were regulars who meet there often. They drink their beer from special steins that are set aside for their use only.

Emerging from the Rathaus, we found ourselves in Marienplatz, the heart of the city where the market stood during the Middle Ages. The town hall, called the New Town Hall looks older than its mere hundred years. Its tower contains the Glockenspiel, which is the most visited tourist attraction in town. The carillon chimes every day at 11:00, noon and 5:00 while life-sized figures re-enact a knightly joust on horseback for a watching bride and groom who represent Renata of Lothringen and Duke Wilhelm V of Bavaria. The Bavarian knight always wins of course. Then, on a level below, a group of coopers (barrel makers) do a dance to celebrate the end of a 16th century plague. The whole performance takes about 15 minutes.

At 9:00, the clock is lighted and a little monk who is the symbol of the city appears. He is led to bed by a night watchman and an angel while all 43 bells of the carillon play what must be a deafening lullaby.

The glockenspiel is amusing and it's fun, but Munich has another symbol, much older and more meaningful. The Frauenkirche is only a block or two away from Marienplatz. Visible from all directions, its twin towers dominate the skyline and always will because the city prohibits the building of any structure over 328 feet high, less than half the towers' height. Built in Gothic style, the church is very large, but simple, without the usual Gothic ornamentation. It was consecrated in 1494 with the towers left unfinished. Pointy, elaborate spires were in the original plan but with money running out, the towers were simply topped with copper domes. Some say the builders were inspired by the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, but I think that's a stretch.

Badly damaged by a World War II bomb, the Frauenkirche was rebuilt exactly as it had been, using as much of the rubble as possible. Those reaching brick towers with their distinctive green bonnets have become the postcard symbol of Munich.

Also in the city center is the Residenz, home of all those Wittelsbachs and seat of government from the 16th to the 20th century. It's huge. You couldn't see it all even if you wanted to but we made an effort to cover some high points. Renaissance, rococo and classical sections are filled with 130 stunning rooms containing centuries of mind-blowing acquisitions Ð gold, silver, priceless porcelains, crowns and jewelry covered in diamonds and rubies, rooms full of coins and religious reliquaries. Well, see for yourself!

Not quite so overwhelming is Nymphenburg, the Wittelsbach summer home at the western edge of Munich. Set in a parkland and surrounded by intriguing pavilions, this can be a delightful excursion on a beautiful afternoon. My husband and I made a whole day of it when we visited 25 years ago.

The Munich art scene, obviously influenced by its rulers' passion for collecting, has always been huge. On my first visit, I took in the Old Pinakothek (means art gallery Ð I love that word!) And the New Pinakothek. In 2002, these were joined by the Pinakothek der Moderne.

A faster pace, a more sophisticated vibe and a lot more bicycles are on the street today. You see it for sure on Maximilianstrasse where fashionable shoppers move in and out of designer stores and boutiques. And in cafes, they're often drinking wine instead of beer.

But beer is still king in Munich, has been since at least 1598 when the Hofbrauhaus first opened its doors near Marienplatz. The beer is served in one-liter steins and I'd advise a plate of knockwurst and sauerkraut or a giant pretzel to help soak it up. There's always a lot of foot-stomping, thigh-slapping oompah music, and today, the patrons are mostly tourists. In fact, this is one of the city's prime attractions. It's a fun experience that gets raucous in the hours before the closing time of midnight.

There's a beer garden at the Hofbrauhaus, but in warm weather there are beer gardens all over town. My favorite is the one at the Viktualienmarkt, also near Marienplatz, where you can buy or bring food and meet the people as you share picnic tables under the trees. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

But some things really do change. Our Munich hotel for instance, the Advokat, was a very cool retreat in what was once a 60s office building. My room was small but it contained everything conducive to a good night's sleep Ð muted colors, smooth sheets, lighting where you want it, all efficiently organized. The only decoration was an intriguing row of nine pictures on the wall, each depicting a uniformed figure standing at attention. Every room in the hotel contains its own slightly edgy salute to contemporary art.

The Advokat is a member of a select group of Bavarian hotels known as Sightsleeping Hotels. These are chosen because in addition to providing excellent service, each of them is unique in concept, design or location.

Now what, you may ask, is the Welt? It's the BMW Welt (World), located at the north edge of the city where BMW's headquarters have been ever since the company was started in 1920.

Like many other unenlightened women, I wasn't particularly excited about visiting an automobile factory. But since the BMW Welt opened last October, it's become Munich's prime tourist attraction Ð after the Glockenspiel of course, which is in the city center and free of charge. Admission is free at the Welt, but there's a charge for tours.

The architecture is spectacular. Two glass and steel cones are joined at their apexes, with the inverted top cone flaring back to form an enormous cloud roof over the whole building. Within, are all the latest BMW models and hands-on displays of the new technologies.

There isn't a speck of dust or trace of a fingerprint anywhere. Impeccably well-tailored staff members preside throughout the shining space to keep an eye on things and answer questions. There are four restaurants and you can watch from a balcony overlooking the "premium level" where new owners come to claim their cars.

They walk down a curving stairway as the car they've ordered is driven to a turntable to be checked over and admired. I watched a presentation to a couple and their two young sons who danced around the car like excited little cubs. It was no doubt an occasion that none of them will forget. The parents signed the papers and they drove ceremoniously down a ramp to exit.

Actually, if I were in that enviable position, I know what car I'd be driving Ð a Series 1 BMW convertible, in Cashmere Silver Metallic. Or maybe red.

Opening this June will be a new adjoining museum, also an architectural triumph. It will display 120 of the most significant Beamers, motorbikes and engines in BMW's history.

You could spend a lot of time in Munich, the gateway to Bavaria, with its rural delights, mountains, castles and old world cities. But that's another storyÉ