Over the long weekend, thanks to Whit Monday being a public holiday in Germany, I decided to visit a friend who lives in Munich. I spent about three and a half days there and thought it would be a good idea to share my thoughts. I saw a lot during my stay, and since I live in Hamburg, I naturally started comparing the two cities. There are quite a few differences.
Before I go into the details, I should mention that I’ve been living in Hamburg for seven years, and this was my first time in Bavaria. Besides Munich, I’ve also been to Berlin and Magdeburg, but Munich gave me a very different impression. It felt worth writing about. I know German history and how divided the country used to be, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see these differences. But still, I think people don’t talk about them enough. That’s why I think it’s a good idea to visit both Hamburg and Munich to really notice them. I’m not trying to say that one city is better than the other. This is just my personal take on what makes each place special. If you’re trying to decide where to live, keep in mind that I’m very biased towards Hamburg, so this might not be the most balanced view.
House of Wittelsbach
To understand the differences between Hamburg and Munich, I think it’s important to look at the history of both cities. When you visit them, you can really see how their past shaped what they are today.
The Wittelsbach family was a Bavarian dynasty that ruled Bavaria from 1180 to 1918. The blue and white pattern used in Bavaria today comes from the coat of arms of the Wittelsbach family. That light blue color is all over the city — you see it on the trams, street signs, and even on house number plates. Around the same time the Wittelsbachs rose to power, in 1189, Hamburg was given the status of a Free Imperial City by Frederick I “Barbarossa.” That made it an important trade city. If you check out Hamburg’s coat of arms today, it still carries the same style and the red color you see throughout the city, just like the blue in Munich.
Artists trying to get the attention of the Ludwig I
So while Munich was ruled by a single dynasty for centuries, Hamburg was more independent and focused on trade. I believe this played a big role in how the two cities developed. A city ruled by one family means power and money were more centralized. That can lead to big, impressive projects, but it also means the city grows in the direction that one ruling power chooses. A free trade city like Hamburg, on the other hand, had power and wealth spread out among merchants. That means more voices in the room and more variety in how the city grew.
There are also clear religious differences. Both cities were Catholic until the 16th century, but during the Reformation, Hamburg became Protestant. You can feel that shift even today. In Munich, the churches are bigger and more detailed. In Hamburg, they’re simpler and more minimalist. When I visited the Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich, I was surprised by how many paintings were focused on the Holy Mary and Christ. Religion still seems to be part of daily life in Munich — you notice it especially when older locals greet you with “Grüß Gott.”
Residenz München, Ludwig I of Bavaria
You can also see the wealth of the Wittelsbach family when you jump ahead to the 18th century and look at King Ludwig I of Bavaria. While walking around the city, his name kept coming up. From Ludwigstraße and Königsplat to the museums like the Alte Pinakothek and Glyptothek — many of these were created or shaped by him. The Egyptian artifacts at the State Museum also came from his personal collection. It’s hard to imagine these things existing without someone who had the money and the interest in art and culture. He also moved one of Bavaria’s oldest universities to Munich, which became LMU Munich. Today, it’s considered one of the best universities in Germany. I think it’s fair to say that without Ludwig I, Munich wouldn’t be as developed and rich in culture as it is today.
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