Munich - Carnival starts November 11th, 2024, at 11:11 a.m., Viktualienmarkt

Munich - carnival start with the market women, carnival guards and band

Munich is celebrating again! Carnival is the time of balls... Their greats Prince Christian IV (Christian Deussen, *1977) and Princess Michaela II (Dr. Michaela Hämmerle, *1987) have taken over the reigns in Munich for the carnival season

Monday, November 11th, 2024, at 11:11 a.m., Viktualienmarkt

Munich. "Hello!" means "Helau!" ... They say in Munich when the crazy time starts: today, November 11th, 2024 at 11:11 a.m. we met at Munich's Viktualienmarkt to officially start the carnival phase. The 2025 Narhalla carnival season began today with famous market women, the Prince Guard and the new prince couple of the state capital Munich: Christian IV & Michaela II. Christian Deussen, born in Meerbusch near Düsseldorf in 1977, has lived in the carnival city of Munich since 2002. Dr. Michaela Hämmerle, born in Memmingen in 1987, discovered her love for carnival and dancing at an early age. As Munich's carnival princess, she is now looking forward to experiencing carnival from a different perspective...

Munich Viktualienmarkt, photo: Helga Waess (press archive)

Narrhalla Hofball on November 16, 2024 - Narrhalla's first carnival ball

The Tollionen will have their first appearance on Saturday, November 16th, at the Narrhalla Hofball (from 8 p.m.) in the first hotel on Promenadeplatz, the Bayerischer Hof. But they will not receive the insignia of their power and the Munich city key until the ceremonial enthronement on January 11, 2025 on Odeonsplatz.   

At the same time, Munich's 2025 youth prince couple was also introduced: Johan I. (Johan Boomgaarden, *2010) and Hannah I. (Hannah Schwarting, *2009) represent the youth. The couple has a lot to do during this crazy time: over 200 appointments such as appearances at the big carnival events and visits to schools, old people's homes and hospitals.

The dancing market women from Viktualienmakt, press photo archive: Helga Waess

The stage in the beer garden was used for the musical warm-up from 10.30 a.m

There was a lot of music and the introduction of the 2025 prince couples. The welcoming words were spoken by Mayor Dominik Krause and the current “mistress” of the Viktualienmarkt, local government representative Jacqueline Charlier.

In addition to the market's traditional market women (they danced around 12:30 p.m.), the Narrhalla Flag Regiment, the Prince's Guard and the Youth Guard were on stage. Music came from the popular Oktoberfest band “Tomay’s Spezlwirtschaft”.

 Oktoberfest band Tomay's Spezlwirtschaft since 10:30 a.m. Mayor Dominik Krause and municipal representative Jacqueline Charlier gave greetings.

Munich: Relaxation in the English Garden in the heart of the city

 The English Garden in Munich 

Cycling through the English Garden, sitting in the beer garden, surfing on the Eisbachwelle or taking a pedal boat across the lake - this is where Munich relaxes

The English Garden is a recreational area for everyone 

Munich. The Bavarian capital has the largest inner-city park in the world. The English Garden stretches from the old town ring up to the northeast of the city and is bordered on the side by the west bank with the Isar meadows. If you need a little relaxation after a walk through the beautiful old town of Munich with all the cafes and shops, then you just have to walk from Odeonsplatz through the Hofgarten with the residence of the Bavarian kings and from here via Prinzregentenstrasse to the "Haus der Kunst". Behind the museum building, visitors to Munich will find the English Garden, which is five and a half kilometers long (at 375 hectares, it even exceeds Central Park - 335 hectares) in New York. The English Garden, the green lung of Munich, was designed by Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell designed and modeled on the famous English landscape gardens. The plan was to create a recreational area for everyone. And that's how it happened: today, young and old relax in the Munich landscape garden --- In this blog: ENGLISH GARDEN - Impressions of a bike tour - Idyllic, green and relaxed people - that's Munich too! - From Haidhausen to Oberföhring and back through the English Garden (GERMAN: ENGLISCHER GARTEN - Impressionen einer Fahrradtour  - Idylle, grün und entspannte Menschen - auch das ist München! - Von Haidhausen nach Oberföhring und zurück durch den Englischen Garten

Spacious lawn in the English Garden with a panoramic view of the dome of the State Chancellery and the Frauenkirche in Munich's old town, photo: Helga Waess

Sights and beer gardens in the English Garden in Munich

With extensive meadows and old trees, the park offers relaxation in every season. Today you can even find relaxation here as a cyclist and can relax in the beer garden at the famous Chinese Tower (pagoda building in the imperial Chinese style) with live Bavarian music or relax on one of the 1,800 seats in the Hirschau Beer Garden. And as if that weren't enough, the “Aumeister Beer Garden” is waiting at the northern end of the English Garden and is popular with Munich residents.

With the Pakka bike through the English Garden, photo: Helga Waess

Sights in the English Garden

You can enjoy the panorama of the city with all its towers from the Monopteros Temple (the hill with the temple structure was built in 1836), marvel at the surfers on the wave from the Eisbach, hear the sound of the waterfalls from the Schwabinger Bach, visit the Japanese tea house (m South end of the park), marvel at the Rumfordschlössl (built in 1791) or watch the many ducks and geese at Kleinhesseloher Lake and go rowing or pedal boating. Photo opportunities can be found everywhere, including in the northern English Garden, where the Isar gets loud at the dam or the natural trees look downright wild.

Geese at Kleinhesseloher See - Photo: Helga Waess

Surfing on the Eisbachwelle at the Haus der Kunst 

The Eisbach wave is only permitted for experienced surfers. If you don't have much practice yet, you can try out the rafting area - always "at your own risk"!
By the way, swimming and bathing are not permitted on the Eisbach and the Floßlände.

DIRECTIONS to the English Garden in Munich

The best subway stations to visit the English Garden are:

• “Odeonsplatz” – line U3/U6 or U4/U5 
•  “University” – line U3/U6

Ducks in the lake, photo: Helga Waess