Munich

Capital of Bavaria, Germany, on the River Isar, about 520 m/1,706 ft above sea level, some 45 km/28 mi from the edge of the Alps; population (2003 est) 1,185,400, urban agglomeration 2,340,700. The main industries are brewing, printing, precision instruments, machinery, electrical goods, motor vehicles, computers, telecommunications, fashion, and food processing.

Features
Munich was badly damaged during World War II (about 40% of the city was destroyed), but after 1945 it was extensively rebuilt and many modern building were constructed. The city owes many of its buildings and art treasures to the kings Ludwig I and Maximilian II of Bavaria. The cathedral, Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), is late 15th century. Art galleries include the Alte Pinakothek (containing paintings by old masters), the Neue Pinakothek (containing works from the 18th and 19th centuries), and the Pinakothek der Moderne (2002), which is one of the world's largest modern art museums. The Glyptothek (built 1816–30) also has important art collections. There is the Bavarian National Museum, the Bavarian State Library, and the Deutsche Museum (science and technology). The Ludwig Maximilian University, founded at Ingolstadt in 1472, was transferred to Munich in 1826; there are also two newer universities. To the northeast at Garching there is a nuclear research centre.

History
Dating from the 12th century, Munich became the residence of the dukes of Wittelsbach in the 13th century, and the capital of independent Bavaria. It was the scene of the November revolution of 1918, the ‘Soviet’ republic of 1919, and the Hitler putsch of 1923. It became the centre of the Nazi movement, and the Munich Agreement of 1938 was signed here. When the 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich, 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestine Liberation Organization terrorists. The World Cup football championship was held here in 1974.