Open Travel Guide
History of Munich

Munich History & Heritage Guide 2026

The history of Munich told through its places: sites worth the detour and the context they need.

By Updated

This guide covers 4+ historical sites in Munich — Residenz Munich (Royal Palace), Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site (KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau) and Münchner Stadtmuseum (Munich City Museum) top the list. Every recommendation carries its practical details: typical costs, the best time to visit, and what to know before you commit.

Munich (München) is Bavaria's dynamic capital, blending world-class museums, royal palaces, beer gardens, and Alpine landscapes into one of Europe's most liveable cities. The city anchors southern Germany with a population of 1.56 million and serves as a gateway to the Alps, Oktoberfest, and centuries of Bavarian history.

Historical timeline

Key moments that shaped Munich.

  1. 1

    Duke Henry the Lion founds Munich as a toll bridge settlement and market on the Isar River

    1158
  2. 2

    Munich becomes the residence of the Wittelsbach dukes; royal dynasty that ruled Bavaria until 1918

    1255
  3. 3

    Augustiner brewery founded; the oldest Munich brewery still in operation

    1328
  4. 4

    Munich becomes the sole capital of the Duchy of Bavaria

    1506
  5. 5

    Hofbräuhaus founded by Duke Wilhelm V as a court brewery

    1589
  6. 6

    First Oktoberfest held to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen

    1810
  7. 7

    Deutsches Museum founded (opens to public 1925)

    1876
  8. 8

    Wittelsbach monarchy abolished; Free State of Bavaria proclaimed

    1918
  9. 9

    Hitler's failed Beer Hall Putsch at the Bürgerbräukeller; NSDAP briefly banned

    1923
  10. 10

    Munich serves as 'Capital of the Movement' (Hauptstadt der Bewegung) under the Nazi regime; Dachau concentration camp opens 1933; city 80% destroyed by Allied bombing by 1945

    1933–1945
  11. 11

    Munich Summer Olympics; Palestinian terrorists kill 11 Israeli athletes in the Munich massacre

    1972
  12. 12

    German reunification; Munich benefits economically as a western German hub

    1990
  13. 13

    Munich hosts FIFA World Cup matches; Allianz Arena opens; Jewish Cultural Center and Ohel Jakob Synagogue open on Jakobsplatz

    2006

Historical sites

Places where Munich's past comes alive.

Historic

Residenz Munich (Royal Palace)

Where: Altstadt

Admission: Museum €9 / ~$9.70; combined with Treasury €14 / ~$15

Historic

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site (KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau)

Where: Dachau (17 km northwest; S2 train + Bus 726)

Admission: Free; audio guide €4.50 / ~$4.90

Historic

Münchner Stadtmuseum (Munich City Museum)

Where: Altstadt

Admission: €9 / ~$9.70; concessions €4.50 / ~$4.90

Historic

NS-Dokumentationszentrum München (NS-Dokuzentrum)

Where: Maxvorstadt

Admission: €7 / ~$7.60; youth under 18 free

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