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Munich: St. Lukas and River

Isar

Results of the elections for the city

council 2008

Munich's Boroughs

The New Town Hall and Marienplatz

Frauenkirche

Demographics

 Main article: Population Growth of Munich

In July 2007, Munich had 1.34 million inhabitants; 300,129 of those did not hold German citizenship. The city has strong Turkish and Balkan communities.

The largest groups of foreign nationals were Turks (43,309), Albanians (30,385), Croats (24,866), Serbs (24,439), Greeks (22,486), Austrians (21,411), and

Italians (20,847). 37% of foreign nationals come from the European Union.

With 24,000 inhabitants in 1700, the population doubled about every 30 years. For example, it had 100,000 people in 1852 and then 250,000 people in

1883; by 1901, the figure had doubled again to 500,000. Since then, Munich has become Germany's third largest city. In 1933, 840,901 inhabitants were

counted and in 1957, Munich's population passed the 1 million mark.

49.3% of Munich's residents are not affiliated with any religious group, and this ratio represents the fastest growing segment

of the population. As in the rest of Germany, the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches have experienced a continuous,

slow decline in their memberships. As of 31 December 2010, 36.8% of the city's inhabitants were Roman Catholic, 13.6%

Protestant, and 0.3% Jewish.[13]

 There is also a small Old Catholic parish and an English-speaking parish of the Episcopal

Church in the city.[14]

 There are also a significant number of Muslims living in Munich, most of them immigrants.

Politics

Munich's current mayor is Christian Ude of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Munich has been governed by the

SPD for all but six years since 1948. This is remarkable because Bavaria—and particularly southern Bavaria—has long

been a conservat ive stronghold, with the Christian Social Union winning absolute majorities among the Bavarian electorate

in many elections at the communal, state, and federal levels. Bavaria's second city, Nuremberg, is also one of the very few

Bavarian cities governed by a SPD-led coalition.

Munich is currently governed by a coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the Rosa Liste (Pink List, a gay rights

party).

As the capital of the Free State of Bavaria, Munich is an important political centre in Germany and the seat of the

Bavarian State Parliament, the Staatskanzlei (the State Chancellery) and of all state departments.

Several national and international authorities are located in Munich, including the Federal Finance Court of 

Germany and the European Patent Office.

Subdivisions

 Main article: Boroughs of Munich

Since the administrative reform in 1992, Munich is divided into 25 boroughs orStadtbezirke.

Allach-Untermenzing (23), Altstadt-Lehel (1), Aubing-Lochhausen-Langwied (22), Au-Haidhausen (5), Berg am Laim

(14), Bogenhausen (13), Feldmoching-Hasenbergl (24), Hadern (20), Laim (25), Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt (2),

Maxvorstadt (3), Milbertshofen-Am Hart (11), Moosach (10), Neuhausen-Nymphenburg (9), Obergiesing (17), Pasing-

Obermenzing (21), Ramersdorf-Perlach (16), Schwabing-Freimann (12), Schwabing-West (4), Schwanthalerhöhe (8),

Sendling (6), Sendling-Westpark (7), Thalkirchen-Obersendling-Forstenried-Fürstenried-Solln (19), Trudering-Riem

(15) and Untergiesing-Harlaching (18).

Architecture

 Main article: Architecture of Munich

The city is an inspiring mix of historic buildings and impressive architecture, since Munich reconstructed the ruins

of their historic buildings but also created new landmarks of architecture. A survey, conducted by the Society'sCenter for Sustainable Destinations for the National Geographic Traveler, chose over 100 historic places around the

world and ranked Munich as the 30th best destination.[15]

The inner city

At the centre of the city is the Marienplatz—a large open square named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column in

its centre—with the Old and the New Town Hall. Its tower contains the  Rathaus-Glockenspiel. Three gates of the

demolished medieval fortification have survived to this day—the Isartor  in the east, the Sendlinger Tor  in the south

and the Karlstor  in the west of the inner city. The Karlstor leads up to the Stachus, a grand square dominated by the

 Justizpalast (Palace of Justice) and a fountain.

The Peterskirche close to Marienplatz is the oldest church of the inner city. It was first built during the Romanesque

period, and was the focus of the early monastic settlement in Munich before the city's official foundation in 1158.

Nearby St. Peter the Gothic hall-church Heiliggeistkirche  (The Church of the Holy Spirit) was converted to

baroque style from 1724 onwards and looks down upon the Viktualienmarkt, the most popular market of Munich.

The Frauenkirche  is the most famous building in the city centre and serves as the cathedral for the Archdiocese of 

Munich and Freising. The nearby Michaelskirche is the largest renaissance church north of the Alps, while the

Theatinerkirche  is a basilica in Italianate high baroque which had a major influence on Southern German baroque

architecture. Its dome dominates the Odeonsplatz. Other baroque churches in the inner city which are worth a

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