Munich German: Munchen is the state capital of the German state of Bavaria. After Berlin and Hamburg, Munich is Germany's third largest city with a population of about 1.4 million (as of 2004). The Munich metropolitan area is home to around 3 million people. The city is located on the river Isar. The city's motto is "Die Weltstadt mit Herz" (The world city with a heart).
The city was founded next to a settlement of monks Munichen (Latin Monacum, Monachium) by the Welf Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria. The village grew around a bridge, that Henry initially built over the river 'Isar'. To force traders to use his bridge (and, of course charge them for doing so) he destroyed a nearby bridge owned by bishop Otto von Freising (Freising). Therefore the bishop and Henry quarreled about the city before the emperor at a Reichstag held in Augsburg in 1158. Half a century later it was granted city status and fortified. In 1180, with the trial of Henry the Lion, Otto of Wittelsbach became Duke of Bavaria. His heirs, the Wittelsbach dynasty would rule Bavaria until 1918. In 1255, the dukedom of Bavaria was split in two, and Munich became the ducal residence of Upper Bavaria. Duke Louis IV was elected German king in 1314 and crowned as Holy Roman Emperor in 1328, Munich was his residence. In 1327 most of the city was destroyed by a fire but was rebuilt and extended some years later. When Bavaria was reunited in 1506 Munich became capital of the whole of Bavaria. During the 16th century Munich was a center of German counter reformation. In 1623 during the Thirty Years' War Munich became electoral residence when Maximilian I, Duke of Bavaria was invested with the electoral dignity but in 1632 the city was occupied by Gustav II Adolph of Sweden.