Probing Munich’s Past, Part II

One thing I love about places with medieval history are physical remnants of the past. In many German cities, those remnants include walls and/or gates.

Map of medieval Munich with its fortifications.

Munich is no exception. Three of the four large towers from the city’s old fortifications stand, allowing a real-world glimpse into the size of the historic city center and the impressive skill used to protect it.

Munich’s first wall was built sometime in the 1100s. The remaining towers are remnants of the “new” city wall built from the late 1200s to the mid-1300s.

Its location and affluence would have made Munich a tempting target, but in the face of a siege by a Swedish army during the Thirty Years’ War, the residents opened the gates and let the invaders in rather than risk destruction of their beloved town.

Today, Münchner are no less proud. In fact, the city has apparently had centuries of a popularity “problem.” The wall surrounding Munich was torn down way back in 1791 to accommodate the growing population!

With around 1.5 million residents, Munich is Germany’s third-largest city. But its compact core gives it a town-like feel that probably helps feed its devotion to tradition.

Sendlinger Tor is believed to be the city's oldest, built in 1318 to boost trade between Bavaria and Italy.
(See? And you thought my post last week was only about random sightseeing... ;)

Isartor was built in 1337, and is the only Munich gate that still has its middle main tower.
The frescos you see above the archways were created in 1835.

Karlstor was named after elector Karl Theodor, who was responsible for the removal of the city wall
in the face of Munich's steady expansion.