Munich City Walk Part II

After the singular experience that was Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, we returned to Munich to finish the walking tour we couldn't quite finish the night before.

We hit up one of the many roasted nut carts on our way to the walk for some caramelized-sugar-covered hazelnuts. These nut carts are everywhere in the touristy part of Munich, and a handful of hot, sweet nuts makes a great snack.

Roasted Hazelnuts

The walk continues with the more elegant royal neighborhood of Munich. For a long time before modern Germany, Munich was the capital of a small independant country of Bavaria. This small country was led by a dynasty of kings, with the first big name being Max-Joseph, for whom this square and a glitzy street (Maximilianstrasse) are named. The Residenz royal palace encircles much of this square. 

(Encircles the square...?)

Max-Joseph-Platz

On a side street on the way to Odeonsplatz sits a small but tasteful memorial to Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch, his first unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government. The cobbles are painted gold to represent spilled beer and later the spilled blood from Hitler's attempted seizure.

Beer Hall Putsch Memorial Spill

Beyond the Putsch Memorial is Odeonsplatz, with its grand yellow-gold church Theatinerkirche. The grand square leads off to two of Munich's long boulevards. Museums, monuments, galleries, and palaces line the square and the adjoining streets.

Odeonsplatz Church

Behind Odeonsplatz is the Hofgarten, literally the Royal Garden. It was built by the royal family and is now a beautiful urban public park. Well-manicured hedges line straight gravel pathways as they connect a series of flower beds and fountains. Visiting as we were in March, the fountains weren't on and the flowers were still sleeping. Despite being south of Ireland's latitude, Southern Germany has a real winter with freezing temperatures well into Spring. Fountains all over town were covered with wooden caps, presumably to insulate them from the freezing nights.

Hofgarten Paths

Odeonsplatz from Hofgarten

Thus ended our official, two-day-spanning Rick Steve's walking tour. The day was still not over, even after battling train tickets, visiting the concentration camp, and finishing our walking tour, there was still more to do and more time to do it.