"Bayern" redirects here. For the Munich based football (soccer) club, see FC Bayern Munich

Freistaat Bayern Free State of Bavaria
Flag	Coat of arms
Details
Location
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Administration
Country	Germany
NUTS Region	DE2
Capital	Munich
Minister-President	Günther Beckstein (CSU)
Governing party	CSU
Votes in Bundesrat	6 (of 69)
Basic statistics
Area	70,549 km² (27,239 sq mi)
Population	12,522,000 (10/2007)[1]
- Density	177 /km² (460 /sq mi)
Other information
GDP/ Nominal	€ 404 billion (2005)
Website	bayern.de

Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern (help·info), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and almost 12. FC Bayern München is a German Sports club based in Munich, Bavaria (München Bayern The Coat of arms of the German state of Bavaria was introduced by law on 5 June 1950 Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, ( NUTS) for the French nomenclature d'unités territoriales statistiques, is a Geocode Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. A minister-president (Ministerpräsident is the Head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments who presides over the council of ministers Günther Beckstein ( (born November 23 1943 in Hersbruck, Germany) is a Bavarian CSU Politician and since October 9 2007 A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral The Bundesrat ("federal council" or "upper house of German parliament" is the representation of the 16 Federal States ( Bundesländer) of Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. 5 million inhabitants, lies in the southeast of Germany and is the geographically largest state (Bundesland) of Germany. Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Its capital is Munich. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. About 6. 4 million of its population are Bavarian, 4. 1 million Franconian and 1. 8 million Swabian.

History

Main article: History of Bavaria

The Bavarians emerged in a region north of the Alps, originally inhabited by the Celts, which had been part of the Roman provinces of Rhaetia and Noricum. The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Bavarians spoke Old High German but, unlike other Germanic groups, did not migrate from elsewhere. Rather, they seem to have coalesced out of other groups left behind by Roman withdrawal late in the 5th century AD. These peoples may have included Marcomanni, Thuringians, Goths, Rugians, Heruli, and some remaining Romans. Marcomanni were a Germanic tribe, probably related to the Buri, Suebi or Suevi The Thuringii or Toringi were a Germanic tribe which appeared late during the Völkerwanderung in the Harz Mountains of central The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s The Rugians (Rugii were an East Germanic tribe whose ultimate origins have been traced to Rogaland in Norway, whose population probably was the The Heruli (spelled variously in Latin and Greek) were a nomadic Germanic people, who were subjugated by the Ostrogoths Huns and Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The name "Bavarian" ("Baiuvari") means "Men of Baia" which may indicate Bohemia, the homeland of the Marcomanni. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the They first appear in written sources circa 520. Saint Boniface completed the people's conversion to Christianity in the early 8th century. Saint Boniface ( Latin: Bonifacius c 672 – June 5, 754) the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith at Bavaria was, for the most part, unaffected by the Protestant Reformation, and even today, most of it is strongly Roman Catholic. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time

From about 550 to 788, the house of Agilolfing ruled the duchy of Bavaria, ending with Tassilo III who was deposed by Charlemagne. The Agilolfings were a family of either Frankish or Bavarian nobility that ruled the Duchy of Bavaria on behalf of their Merovingian suzerains The following is a list of rulers during the History of Bavaria. Tassilo III (b circa 741 d circa 796 was Duke of Bavaria from 748 to 787 the last of the house of the Agilolfings. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his

Three early dukes are named in Frankish sources: Garibald I may have been appointed to the office by the Merovingian kings and married the Lombard princess Walderada when the church forbade her to King Chlothar I in 555. The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group Garibald I (also Garivald) (born 540 was Duke (or King of Bavaria from 555 until 591 The Merovingians (also Merovings) were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region (known as Francia in Latin Their daughter, Theodelinde, became Queen of the Lombards in northern Italy and Garibald was forced to flee to her when he fell out with his Frankish overlords. Garibald's successor, Tassilo I, tried unsuccessfully to hold the eastern frontier against the expansion of Slavs and Avars around 600. The Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan. Tassilo's son Garibald II seems to have achieved a balance of power between 610 and 616. Garibald II (585 &ndash 625 was Duke of Bavaria from 610 until his death

After Garibald II little is known of the Bavarians until Duke Theodo I, whose reign may have begun as early as 680. Theodo (about 625 &ndash 11 December c 716 also known as Theodo V and Theodo II, was the Duke of Bavaria from 670 or more probably 680 to From 696 onwards he invited churchmen from the west to organize churches and strengthen Christianity in his duchy (it is unclear what Bavarian religious life consisted of before this time). His son, Theudebert, led a decisive Bavarian campaign to intervene in a succession dispute in the Lombard Kingdom in 714, and married his sister Guntrud to the Lombard King Liutprand. Theodbert (also Theodebert, Theudebert, Theotpert, and Theodo) (c The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from At Theodo's death the duchy was divided among his sons, but reunited under his grandson Hucbert.

At Hucbert's death (735) the duchy passed to a distant relative named Odilo, from neighboring Alemannia (modern Southwest Germany and northern Switzerland). Odilo (d 18 January 748) a son of Gotfrid of the house of Agilolfing, ruled Bavaria from 736 until his death in 748 succeeding Duke Odilo issued a law code for Bavaria, completed the process of church organization in partnership with St. Boniface (739), and tried to intervene in Frankish succession disputes by fighting for the claims of the Carolingian Grifo. The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolings, or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family with its origins in the Grifo (726&ndash753 was the son of the Frankish Major domo Charles Martel and his second wife Swanahild. He was defeated near Augsburg in 743 but continued to rule until his death in 748. Augsburg is an independent City in the south-west of Bavaria.

Tassilo III (b. Tassilo III (b circa 741 d circa 796 was Duke of Bavaria from 748 to 787 the last of the house of the Agilolfings. 741 - d. after 794) succeeded his father at the age of eight after an unsuccessful attempt by Grifo to rule Bavaria. He initially ruled under Frankish oversight but began to function independently from 763 onwards. He was particularly noted for founding new monasteries and for expanding eastwards, fighting Slavs in the eastern Alps and along the Danube and colonizing these lands. After 781, however, his cousin Charlemagne began to pressure Tassilo to submit and finally deposed him in 788. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his The deposition was not entirely legitimate; Dissenters attempted a coup against Charlemagne at Tassilo's old capital of Regensburg in 792, led by his own son Pippin the Hunchback, and the king had to drag Tassilo out of imprisonment to formally renounce his rights and titles at the Assembly of Frankfurt in 794. Regensburg ( also Ratisbon, Ratisbona Řezno originally Castra Regina) is a City (population 131000 in 2007 in Bavaria, Germany Pepin (or Pippin) the Hunchback, (c 769 &ndash 811 was the eldest son of Charlemagne by Himiltrude. This is the last appearance of Tassilo in the sources and he probably died a monk. As all of his family were also forced into monasteries, this was the end of the Agilolfing dynasty.

For the next 400 years numerous families held the duchy, rarely for more than three generations. With the revolt of duke Henry the Quarrelsome in 976, Bavaria lost large territories in the south and south east. Henry II (951&ndash995 called the Wrangler or the Quarrelsome, in German Heinrich der Zänker, was the son of Henry I and Judith of Bavaria The last, and one of the most important, of these dukes was Henry the Lion of the house of Welf, founder of Munich. Henry the Lion ( German: Heinrich der Löwe; 1129 &ndash 6 August 1195) was a member of the Guelph dynasty and Duke of Saxony See also Elder House of Welf The House of Welf (or House of Guelph) is a European Dynasty that has included many German and British Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. When Henry the Lion was deposed as duke of Saxony and Bavaria by his cousin, Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1180, Bavaria was awarded as fief to the Wittelsbach family, which ruled from 1180 to 1918. The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Frederick I Barbarossa (1122 &ndash 10 June 1190) was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing The Wittelsbach family is a European Royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria. Also the Electoral Palatinate was acquired by the Wittelsbach in 1214. The Palatinate of the Rhine (Pfalzgrafschaft bei Rhein later the Electoral Palatinate (Kurpfalz was a historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire

The first of several divisions of the duchy of Bavaria occurred in 1255. With the extinction of the Hohenstaufen in 1268 also Swabian territories were acquired by the Wittelsbach dukes. Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic Emperor Louis the Bavarian acquired Brandenburg, Tyrol, Holland and Hainaut for his House but released the Upper Palatinate for the Palatinate branch of the Wittelsbach in 1329. Louis IV ( 1 April[[ 282]] &ndash 11 October 1347) called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the Duke of Bavaria Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Tyrol is a region in Western Central Europe, which included the present day Austrian state of Tyrol (consisting of North Tyrol and East Holland is a region in the western part of the Netherlands. A maritime and economic power in the 17th century Holland today consists of the Dutch provinces of This article deals with the historical county of Hainaut for other meanings see Hainaut. The Upper Palatinate (German Oberpfalz) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria In 1506 with the Landshut War of Succession the other parts of Bavaria were reunited and Munich became the sole capital. The Landshut war of succession resulted from an agreement between the duchies of Bavaria-Munich ( Bayern-München) and Bavaria-Landshut ( Bayern-Landshut) both

In 1623 the Bavarian duke replaced his relative, the Count Palatine of the Rhine in the early days of the Thirty Years' War and acquired the powerful prince-electoral dignity in the Holy Roman Empire, determining its Emperor thence forward, as well as special legal status under the empire's laws. The Palatinate of the Rhine (Pfalzgrafschaft bei Rhein later the Electoral Palatinate (Kurpfalz was a historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. The Prince-Electors (or simply Electors) of the Holy Roman Empire ( German: Kurfürst ( pl The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Also the Upper Palatinate was reunited with Bavaria. The ambitions of the Bavarian prince electors led to several wars with Austria during the early 18th century. From 1777 onwards Bavaria and the Electoral Palatinate were governed in personal union again.

When Napoleon abolished the Holy Roman Empire, Bavaria became a kingdom in 1806, and its area reduplicated. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Kingdom of Bavaria (Königreich Bayern was a German state that existed from 1806&ndash1918 Tyrol and Salzburg were temporarily reunited with Bavaria but finally ceded to Austria. Tyrol is a region in Western Central Europe, which included the present day Austrian state of Tyrol (consisting of North Tyrol and East Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7154 km² located adjacent to the German border In return the Rhenish Palatinate and Franconia were annexed to Bavaria in 1815. The Palatinate (Pfalz Pfälzer dialect Palz) historically also Rhenish Palatinate (palatinatum Renensis Rheinpfalz is a region in south-western Germany Franconia (Franken is a historic region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria and the area to its immediate west Between 1799 and 1817 the leading minister count Montgelas followed a strict policy of modernisation and laid the foundations of administrative structures that survived even the monarchy and are (in their core) valid until today. Maximilian Josef Garnerin Count von Montgelas ( September 12, 1759 &ndash June 14, 1838) was a Bavarian statesman from a noble In 1818 a modern constitution (by the standards of the time) was passed, that established a bicameral Parliament with a House of Lords ("Kammer der Reichsräte") and a House of Commons ("Kammer der Abgeordneten"). The constitution was valid until the collapse of the monarchy at the end of World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

After the rise of Prussia to prominence Bavaria managed to preserve its independence by playing off the rivalries of Prussia and Austria, but defeat in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War compelled Bavaria to accept incorporation into the Prussian-dominated German Empire in 1871. The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. The Austro-Prussian The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification In the early 20th century Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Henrik Ibsen, and other notable artists were drawn to Bavaria, notably to the Schwabing district of Munich, later devastated by World War II. Wassily Kandinsky (Russian Василий Кандинский first name pronounced as) ( – 13 December 1944 was a Russian painter, Printmaker "Ibsen" redirects here For other people named Ibsen see Ibsen (disambiguation. Schwabing is a Borough in the northern part of Munich, the Capital of the German state of Bavaria. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Wieskirche

Socialist premier Kurt Eisner, who deposed King Ludwig III, was assassinated in 1919 leading to a violently suppressed communist revolt. Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Kurt Eisner ( May 14 1867 in Berlin – February 21, 1919 in München)was a Bavarian Politician Ludwig III ( Ludwig Luitpold Josef Maria Aloys Alfried; English: Louis Leopold Joseph Mary Aloysius Alfred) ( January 7, 1845 Extremist activity by the National Socialists also increased, notably the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, and Munich and Nuremberg became Nazi strongholds under the Third Reich. The Beer Hall Putsch (also known as the Munich Putsch) was a failed Coup d'état that occurred between the evening of Thursday November 8 Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers As a manufacturing center, Munich was heavily bombed during World War II and occupied by U.S. troops. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The Rhenish Palatinate was detached from Bavaria and made part of the new state Rhineland-Palatinate. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany.

Since World War II, Bavaria has been rehabilitated into a prosperous industrial hub. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A massive reconstruction effort restored much of Munich's historic core, and the city played host to the 1972 Summer Olympics. The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Munich, in what was More recently, former state minister-president Edmund Stoiber was the CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor in the 2002 federal election which he lost, and native son Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Edmund Rüdiger Stoiber ( (born September 28, 1941) is a German politician, former Minister-president of the state The 15th German federal election 2002 was conducted on September 22, 2002, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house of Germany. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger

Geography

The Bavarian Alps

Bavaria shares international borders with Austria and the Czech Republic as well as with Switzerland (across Lake Constance). Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Under the designation Lake Constance or Lake of Constance ( German Bodensee) one summarizes the three independent bodies of water Obersee Neighbouring states within Germany are Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony. Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Hesse (Hessen is a state of Germany with an area The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Two major rivers flow through the state, the Danube (Donau) and the Main, while the upper Rhine forms part of the southwest border of the state. The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj The Main (maɪn is a River in Germany, 524 km (329 miles long (including White Main 574 km (357 mi and it is one of the more significant tributaries The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge The Bavarian Alps define the border with Austria, and within the range is the highest peak in Germany, the Zugspitze. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Zugspitze is the highest Mountain in Germany. It is located at the Austrian border in the town of Grainau of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen

The major cities in Bavaria are Munich (München), Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Augsburg, Würzburg, Regensburg, Ingolstadt, Fürth and Erlangen. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Augsburg is an independent City in the south-west of Bavaria. Würzburg (ˈvʏɐ̯ʦbʊɐ̯k is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany Regensburg ( also Ratisbon, Ratisbona Řezno originally Castra Regina) is a City (population 131000 in 2007 in Bavaria, Germany Ingolstadt (ˈɪŋgɔlˌʃtat Austro-Bavarian: Inglstådt) is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, Germany The city of Fürth is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the district of Middle Franconia. Erlangen is a Middle Franconian City in Bavaria, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the river Regnitz and its large tributary

See also: List of places in Bavaria

Politics

Main article: Politics of Bavaria

Bavaria has a multi-party system where the two main parties are the conservative Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU), which has dominated politics since 1957, and won every election since then, and the center-left Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). This is a list of geographical features in the state of Bavaria, Germany. The Politics of Bavaria takes place within a framework of a Federal Parliamentary Representative democratic Republic, where the Federal A minor green party, Alliance '90/The Greens is represented in the parliament as well, although Germany's liberal party, the Free Democratic Party has no representation. The Alliance '90/The Greens ( Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) the German Green party, is a Political party in Germany whose regional The Free Democratic Party ( Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP is a liberal Political party in Germany. Together, SPD and the Greens form the opposition.

Bavaria has a unicameral Landtag, or state parliament, elected by universal suffrage. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The Landtag of Bavaria is the Unicameral legislature of the state of Bavaria in Germany. Until December 1999, there was also a Senat, or Senate, whose members were chosen by social and economic groups in Bavaria, but following a referendum in 1998, this institution was abolished. A senate is a Deliberative body, often the Upper house or chamber of a Legislature or Parliament. The head of government is the Minister-President. A minister-president (Ministerpräsident is the Head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments who presides over the council of ministers

In 1995 Bavaria introduced direct democracy on the local level in a referendum. Direct Democracy is a movement within the British Conservative Party dedicated to localism and Constitutional reform as a means of reviving public A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita This was initiated bottom-up by an association called Mehr Demokratie (More Democracy). This is a grass-roots organization which campaigns for the right to citizen-initiated referendums. In 1997 the Bavarian Supreme Court aggravated the regulations considerably (e. g. by introducing a turn-out quorum). Nevertheless, Bavaria has the most advanced regulations on local direct democracy in Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This has led to a spirited citizens’ participation in communal and municipal affairs – 835 referenda took place from 1995 through 2005.

In the 2003 elections the CSU won more than two thirds of the seats in Landtag - something no party had ever achieved in post-war German history. A Landtag ( Diet) is a representative assembly or Parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority

Economy

Bavaria has long had one of the largest and healthiest economies of any region in Germany, or Europe for that matter. Its GDP in 2007 exceeded 434 billion Euros[1] This makes Bavaria itself one of the largest economies in Europe and the 17th largest in the world. The per capita GDP is even more impressive: 34700 Euros, which is about 52050 US-$ at the 2008 exchange rate. Some large companies headquarted in Bavaria include BMW, Audi, Siemens, Allianz, Infineon, the European Aerospace and Defence Company, Puma AG and Adidas AG. ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters SE (formerly AG,,) is a large Financial services provider headquartered in Munich, Germany. Infineon Technologies AG () was founded in April 1999 when the Semiconductor operations of parent company Siemens AG, were spun off to form a separate The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV ( EADS) is a large European aerospace corporation formed by the merger on July 10, Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport ( Puma) ( is a large German-based Multinational company that produces high-end Athletic shoes and other sportswear WikipediaManual of Style (trademarks, which says "Lowercased trademarks with no internal

Culture

Bavarian church with Alps in the background

Though only a relatively small part belongs to the Alps, the perception of Bavaria as an alpine region endures.

Due to their long independence (until 1871), Bavarians have always maintained a strong national identity. Some features of the Bavarian culture and mentality are remarkably distinct from the rest of Germany. A prevalent perception among other Germans is that Bavarians see Bavaria as the most important part of Germany. A German play on words lambasts the Bavarian sense of superiority. Its name in German, "Freistaat Bayern" means simply "the free state of Bavaria. " However, many Germans sarcastically refer to Bavaria as "Frei statt Bayern" which literally means "Free instead of Bavaria," implying that Bavarians view themselves as a separate country, or at least culturally superior to the rest of Germany. Noteworthy differences (especially in rural areas, less significant in the major cities) can be found with respect to:

Religion

The predominant faith is Catholicism, particularly in the southern parts of Bavaria and Lower Franconia. As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described As per the most recent available Kirchliche Statistik Eckdaten from the Deutsche Bischofskonferenz, Bavaria is one of two Bundesländer with a population that is in majority Catholic (in several additional Bundesländer, a relative majority of the population is Catholic). As per this source, in 2005 57. 8 % of the Bavarian population was Catholic. Meanwhile, Lutheranism has a significant presence in large parts of Franconia. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Religion remains important to many in the region, as expressed by the typical Bavarian and Austrian and Swabian greeting: "Grüß Gott!" (God bless you). Grüß Gott (literally 'Greet God' see explanation below is a Greeting, less often a farewell in the Upper German Sprachraum especially in Swabia The current pope, Benedict XVI (Joseph Alois Ratzinger), was born in Marktl am Inn in Upper Bavaria. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger Marktl, or often called Marktl am Inn ("Little Market on the Inn River " is a village and historic market municipality in the state of Bavaria Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the south of Bavaria around the city of Munich

Attitude towards traditions

Bavarians commonly emphasize pride in their traditions. Traditional costumes collectively known as Tracht are worn on special occasions and include Lederhosen for males and Dirndl for females. Tracht is traditional Austrian and Bavarian Costume. Recently there has been a renewed interest in tracht Lederhosen ("leather trousers" in German; singular "Lederhose" are knee-breeches ( knickerbockers or Shorts) made of Leather A dirndl is a type of traditional dress worn in southern Germany and Austria, based on the historical costume of Alpine peasants Century-old folk music is practiced and dialect songs and poems are taught in nursery schools. The Maibaum, or Maypole (which in the Middle Ages served as the community's yellow pages, as figurettes on the pole represent the trades of the village), and the bagpipes in the Upper Palatinate region bear witness to the ancient Celtic and Germanic remnants of cultural heritage of the region. The maypole is a tall wooden pole (traditionally of Maple ( Acer) hawthorn or Birch) sometimes erected with several long coloured The central and eastern Alps of Europe are rich in traditions dating back to Pre-Christian ( pagan) times with surviving elements amalgamated from Germanic

Food and drink

Bavarians tend to place a great value on food and drink. Bavarians also consume many items of food and drink which are unusual elsewhere in Germany; for example Weißwurst (white sausage). Weisswurst ( German, literally white sausage) is a traditional Bavarian Sausage made from very finely minced Veal and fresh Pork Beer in particular has always been regarded as a basic nutrient (Grundnahrungsmittel, or 'the base foodstuff'). At folk festivals, beer is traditionally served by the litre (the so-called Maß). The de Maß (mɑs and the Bavarian form of the female noun de Masse, i Bavarians are particularly proud of the traditional Reinheitsgebot, or purity law, initially established by the Duke of Bavaria in 1516. The (literally "purity order" sometimes called the "German Beer Purity Law" or the "Bavarian Purity Law" in English is a regulation concerning the production of According to this law, only three ingredients were allowed in beer: water, barley, and hops. In 1906 the Reinheitsgebot made its way to German law, and remained a law in Germany until the EU struck it down recently as incompatible with the European common market. Bavarians are also known as some of the world's most beer-loving people with an average annual consumption of 170 liters per person. One other beer ingesting custom is the Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September (and running to early October This Bavarian beer guzzling event lasts for two weeks - the last day being the first Sunday in October. Tourists come from around the world to attend it.

A village chapel in Franconia

Language and dialects

High German languages

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     1: East Franconian      2: South Franconian      3: Swabian German      4: Low Alemannic      5: Alsatian      6: High and Highest Alemannic      7: Northern Austro-Bavarian      8: Central Austro-Bavarian      9: Southern Austro-Bavarian

Three German dialects are spoken in Bavaria: Austro-Bavarian in Old Bavaria (South East and East), Swabian German (an Alemannic German dialect) in the Bavarian part of Swabia (South West) and East Franconian German in Franconia (North). A chapel is a holy place or area of Worship for Christians, which may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a College, a Franconia (Franken is a historic region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria and the area to its immediate west The High German languages (in German, Hochdeutsch) are any of the varieties of standard German, Luxembourgish and East Franconian ( Ostfränkisch) is a dialect which is spoken in Bavaria and other areas in Germany around Bamberg, Coburg, South Franconian ( Südfränkisch) is a dialect which is spoken in Baden in Germany around Karlsruhe, Pforzheim and Rastatt Swabian ( Schwäbisch) is one of the Alemannic dialects of High German, spoken in the region of Swabia. Low Alemannic is a branch of Alemannic dialects and belongs to the German language, even though they are only partly intelligible to German speakers Alsatian ( Elsässerditsch; Alsacien Elsässisch or Elsässerdeutsch) is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region High Alemannic is a branch of Alemannic dialects and is considered a German dialect, even though they are only partly intelligible to non-Alemannic German speakers Highest Alemannic is a branch of Alemannic dialects and belongs to the German language, even though Mutual intelligibility with Standard German Northern Austro-Bavarian is a Dialect of German, mostly spoken in the Upper Palatinate. The Central Austro-Bavarian Germanic dialects forming a subgroup of the Austro-Bavarian dialects Southern Austro-Bavarian is a term describing Germanic dialects which are part of the Austro-Bavarian group The High German languages (in German, Hochdeutsch) are any of the varieties of standard German, Luxembourgish and Austro-Bavarian or Bavarian is a major group of Upper German varieties. Swabian ( Schwäbisch) is one of the Alemannic dialects of High German, spoken in the region of Swabia. Alemannic German ( Alemannisch) is a group of Dialects of the Upper German branch of the Germanic language family. Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic East Franconian ( Ostfränkisch) is a dialect which is spoken in Bavaria and other areas in Germany around Bamberg, Coburg, Franconia (Franken is a historic region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria and the area to its immediate west

Bavarians are very proud of their marked dialects, and most of them speak with their Bavarian, Franconian or Swabian accent. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of 300px|right|thumb|The Franconian languages in Europe|'''Legend'''{{legend|#a0f288|Low Franconian dialects in [[the Netherlands]] Swabian ( Schwäbisch) is one of the Alemannic dialects of High German, spoken in the region of Swabia. As with traditions in general, cultivation of dialect and regional accent is considered a strengthening of regional identity.

Ethnography

Bavarians consider themselves as egalitarian and folksy. Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal) is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals and have Their sociability can be experienced at the annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival welcoming around 6 million visitors every year, or in the famous beer gardens. The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September (and running to early October Genuine traditional Bavarian beer gardens work on a BYO basis, i. Beer garden derieves from the German name "Biergarten" and is an open-air area where beverages (preferably beer and prepared food are served e. patrons bring their own food and only buy beer from the brewery that runs the beer garden.

In the United States, particularly among German Americans, Bavarian culture is viewed somewhat nostalgically, with several "Bavarian villages", most notably Leavenworth, Washington. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. Since 1962, the town has been styled with a Bavarian theme; it is also home to "one of the world's largest collections of nutcrackers" and an Oktoberfest celebration it claims is among the most attended in the world outside of Munich. A nutcracker is a Mechanical device for cracking nuts. It works on the Principle of moments as described in Archimedes ' analysis The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September (and running to early October Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. ^[2]

Administrative divisions

Regierungsbezirke (administrative regions)

Administrative Regions of Bavaria

Bavaria is divided into 7 administrative regions called Regierungsbezirke (singular Regierungsbezirk).

1. Upper Franconia (German: Oberfranken)
2. Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken)
3. Lower Franconia (Unterfranken)
4. Swabia (Schwaben)
5. Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz)
6. Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern)
7. Lower Bavaria (Niederbayern)

These administrative regions consist of 71 administrative districts (called Landkreise, singular Landkreis) and 25 independent cities (kreisfreie Städte, singular kreisfreie Stadt). Upper Franconia (German Oberfranken) is a Regierungsbezirk (administrative region) of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Middle Franconia (German Mittelfranken) is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. Lower Franconia (Unterfranken is one of the three administrative regions of Franconia in Bavaria (seven regions Germany (22 regions in five Swabia ( German: Schwaben) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in southwest Bavaria The Upper Palatinate (German Oberpfalz) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the south of Bavaria around the city of Munich Lower Bavaria (Niederbayern is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state

Landkreise/kreisfreie Städte (rural districts/urban districts)

Administrative districts of Bavaria

Rural districts:

Urban districts:

Gemeinden (municipalities)

The 71 administrative districts are on the lowest level divided into 2031 municipalities (called Gemeinden, singular Gemeinde). Aichach-Friedberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northwest and clockwise the districts of Augsburg, Donau-Ries Altötting is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise Austria and the Bavarian districts of Traunstein Amberg-Sulzbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It surrounds but does not include the city of Amberg. Ansbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is surrounding but not including the city of Ansbach; nonetheless the administrative seat of the district Aschaffenburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Offenbach Augsburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the city of Augsburg and the districts of Aichach-Friedberg Bad Kissingen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northwest and clockwise the district Main-Kinzig and Fulda in Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise Austria and the districts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen Bamberg Land is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It surrounds but does not include the town of Bamberg. Bayreuth is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It surrounds but does not include the city of Bayreuth. Berchtesgadener Land is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the district of Traunstein and by the state of Austria. Cham is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Regen, Straubing-Bogen, Regensburg Coburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the districts of Kronach, Lichtenfels, Bamberg Dachau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Fürstenfeldbruck, Aichach-Friedberg Deggendorf is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bordered by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Regen, Freyung-Grafenau, Dillingen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Donau-Ries, Augsburg and Günzburg Dingolfing-Landau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Straubing-Bogen, Deggendorf Donau-Ries ( Danube - Ries) is a district in Bavaria, Germany. Ebersberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Erding, Mühldorf, Rosenheim Eichstätt is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, Donau-Ries Erding is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Landshut, Mühldorf, Ebersberg Erlangen-Höchstadt is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Fürth, Neustadt (Aisch-Bad Forchheim is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Bamberg, Bayreuth, Nürnberger Freising is a district in Bavaria, Germany. Following a recent ranking of the German magazine FOCUS MONEY comparing all German districts it is number one concerning Freyung-Grafenau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Passau, Deggendorf and Fürstenfeldbruck is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the city of Munich and the districts of Munich Fürth is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the cities of Fürth and Nuremberg, and by the districts Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Ostallgäu, Weilheim-Schongau Günzburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Dillingen, Augsburg, Unterallgäu Haßberge is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northeast and clockwise the districts of Coburg, Bamberg, Hof is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Wunsiedel, Bayreuth, Kulmbach Kelheim is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Regensburg, Landshut, Freising Kitzingen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Schweinfurt, Bamberg, Neustadt Kronach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the districts of Hof, Kulmbach, Lichtenfels Kulmbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Kronach, Hof, Bayreuth Landsberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Fürstenfeldbruck Landshut is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Kelheim, Straubing-Bogen, Dingolfing-Landau Lichtenfels is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Coburg, Kronach, Kulmbach Lindau is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the district of Unterallgäu, Austria (federal state Main-Spessart is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Bad Kissingen, Schweinfurt Miesbach is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Munich Miltenberg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the city of Aschaffenburg, the districts of Aschaffenburg Mühldorf is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Landshut, Rottal-Inn, Altötting Munich (Landkreis München is a district in Bavaria, Germany. Neuburg-Schrobenhausen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the districts of Pfaffenhofen, Aichach-Friedberg Neumarkt is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Nürnberger Land, Amberg-Sulzbach Neustadt (Aisch-Bad Windsheim is a district in Bavaria, Germany. Neustadt (Waldnaab is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Schwandorf, Amberg-Sulzbach Neu-Ulm is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the east and clockwise the districts of Günzburg and Unterallgäu and the Nürnberger Land is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Forchheim, Bayreuth, Oberallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise the districts of Unterallgäu and Ostallgäu, Ostallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Passau is a district ( Kreis) in the southeast of Bavaria. It encloses the city of Passau geographically from two sides Pfaffenhofen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Eichstätt, Kelheim, Freising Regen is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise the districts of Freyung-Grafenau, Deggendorf, Regensburg is an administrative district ( Landkreis) in Bavaria, Germany. Rhön-Grabfeld is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the southeast and clockwise the districts of Hassberge, Schweinfurt Rosenheim is a Kreis ( District) in the south of Bavaria, Germany. Roth is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by (from the northeast and clockwise the districts of Nürnberger Land, Neumarkt, Rottal-Inn is a Kreis (district in the southeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Schwandorf is a Kreis (district in the east part of Bavaria, Germany. Schweinfurt is a Kreis (district in the northwestern part of Bavaria, Germany. Starnberg is a Kreis (district in the southern part of Bavaria, Germany. Straubing-Bogen is a Kreis (district in the eastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Tirschenreuth is a Kreis (district in the northeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Traunstein is a Kreis (district in the southeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Unterallgäu is a Kreis (district in the southwestern part of Bavaria, Germany. Weilheim-Schongau is a Kreis (district in the south of Bavaria, Germany. Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen is a Kreis (district in the west of Bavaria, Germany. Wunsiedel is a Kreis (district in the northeastern part of Bavaria, Germany. Würzburg is a Kreis (district in the northwestern part of Bavaria, Germany. Amberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the Upper Palatinate (Germ Ansbach, or Anspach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. Aschaffenburg (aˈʃafənbʊɐ̯k dialect) is a large town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. Augsburg is an independent City in the south-west of Bavaria. Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main Bayreuth ( pronounced) is a City in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Frankish Alb Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany Erlangen is a Middle Franconian City in Bavaria, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the river Regnitz and its large tributary The city of Fürth is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the district of Middle Franconia. Hof is a city located on the banks of the Saale in the northeastern corner of the German state of Bavaria, in the Franconia region at the Ingolstadt (ˈɪŋgɔlˌʃtat Austro-Bavarian: Inglstådt) is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, Germany Kaufbeuren (kaʊfˈbɔʏʁən is an Independent city in the Regierungsbezirk of Schwaben, southern Bavaria. Kempten im Allgäu is the largest city in Allgäu, a region in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany both belonging to Eastern and Southern Bavaria Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region Swabia in Germany. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Passau ( Latin: Batavis or Batavia, also Passavium; Italian: Passavia; Czech: Pasov) is a town in Regensburg ( also Ratisbon, Ratisbona Řezno originally Castra Regina) is a City (population 131000 in 2007 in Bavaria, Germany Rosenheim is a town in Bavaria ( Germany) at the confluence of the rivers Inn and Mangfall Schwabach is a German city of about 40000 inhabitants near Nuremberg, in the center of the region of Franconia in the North of Bavaria. Schweinfurt ( German for Swine ford) is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right Straubing is an independent city in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany. Weiden in der Oberpfalz (official name Weiden idOPf is a district-free city in Bavaria, Germany. Würzburg (ˈvʏɐ̯ʦbʊɐ̯k is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or Together with the 25 independent cities (which are in effect municipalities independent of Landkreis administrations), there are a total of 2056 municipalities in Bavaria.

In 44 of the 71 administrative districts, there are a total of 215 unincorporated areas (as of January 1, 2005, called gemeindefreie Gebiete, singular gemeindefreies Gebiet), not belonging to any municipality, all uninhabited, mostly forested areas, but also four lakes (Chiemsee -without islands, Starnberger See -without island Roseninsel, Ammersee, which are the three largest lakes of Bavaria, and Waginger See). In Law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any Municipality. Chiemsee (ˈkiːmzeː is a freshwater lake in Bavaria, Germany, between Rosenheim, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. Lake Starnberg ( Starnberger See) in southern Bavaria is Germany 's fourth largest lake and a popular recreation area for the nearby city of Munich Ammersee is a Lake in Upper Bavaria, Germany located southwest of Munich between the towns of Herrsching and Dießen am Ammersee

Historical buildings

Johannisburg Castle in Aschaffenburg	Würzburg Residence	Cathedral in Bamberg	Basilica of the Vierzehnheiligen
Castle of Coburg	Festspielhaus of Richard Wagner in Bayreuth	Imperial Castle in Nürnberg	Kastell Biriciana, Weißenburg close to the Limes
Castle of Neuburg an der Donau	Cathedral of Regensburg	Walhalla temple in Donaustauf near Regensburg	Befreiungshalle in Kelheim
Cathedral and Oberhaus fortification in Passau	Trausnitz castle, Landshut	Burghausen Castle	Townhall in Augsburg
Frauenkirche in Munich	Cathedral in Freising	Herrenchiemsee Palace	Linderhof Palace
Hohenschwangau Castle	Neuschwanstein Castle	Wieskirche, Steingaden	Church St. Bartholomew at Königssee
Nymphenburg Palace in Munich

Miscellaneous

Famous people

There are many famous people who were born or lived in present-day Bavaria:

• Popes Pope Benedict XVI -- as of April 2005 he is the current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Aschaffenburg (aˈʃafənbʊɐ̯k dialect) is a large town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The Würzburg Residenz (Residence is a Palace in Würzburg, Germany. Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main The Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers is dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of saints venerated together in Roman Catholicism especially in Germany at Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany Bayreuth ( pronounced) is a City in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Frankish Alb Weißenburg in Bayern (formerly also Weißenburg im Nordgau) is a town in Bavaria, Germany. A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. Neuburg an der Donau, literally Neuburg on the Danube River, is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria Regensburg ( also Ratisbon, Ratisbona Řezno originally Castra Regina) is a City (population 131000 in 2007 in Bavaria, Germany The Walhalla Hall of Fame and Honor is a neo-classical Hall of fame located on the Danube River 10 km east of Regensburg, in Bavaria Kelheim is a municipality in Bavaria, capital of the district Kelheim. Passau ( Latin: Batavis or Batavia, also Passavium; Italian: Passavia; Czech: Pasov) is a town in Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany both belonging to Eastern and Southern Bavaria Burghausen is the largest City in the Altötting district of Oberbayern in Germany. Augsburg is an independent City in the south-west of Bavaria. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Freising is a town in Bavaria, Germany, capital of the district Freising. Herrenchiemsee is a complex of royal buildings on the Herreninsel, an island in the middle of the Chiemsee, Bavaria 's largest lake 60 km south east of Neuschwanstein Castle ( German: Schloss Neuschwanstein, lit New Swan Stone palace; nɔʏˈʃvaːnʃtaɪ̯n is a 19th-century Bavarian The pilgrimage church of Wies (German Wieskirche) is an oval Rococo church designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann, who spent the last eleven St Bartholomä is a Catholic pilgrimage church in the Berchtesgaden District of Bavaria. The Königssee is a Lake located in the extreme southeast of the German State of Bavaria (''Bayern'', near the German-Austrian Border The Nymphenburg Palace (Schloss Nymphenburg is a Baroque Palace in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and His baptismal name is Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Damasus II and Pope Victor II
• Painters such as Hans Holbein the Elder, Albrecht Dürer, Albrecht Altdorfer, Lucas Cranach, Carl Spitzweg, Franz von Lenbach, Franz von Stuck, Franz Marc, Paul Klee, Erwin Eisch, Gabriele Munter. Damasus II (died August 9, 1048) born Poppo, Pope from July 17, 1048 to August 9, 1048, was Victor II (c 1018&ndash July 28, 1057) born Gebhard Count of Calw, Tollenstein, and Hirschberg ( German Hans Holbein (c 1460 &ndash 1524 was a German painter. He was born in Augsburg, Bavaria and died in Las angeles Alsace Albrecht Dürer (ˈalbʀɛçt ˈdyʀɐ ( May 21, 1471 &ndash April 6, 1528) was a German painter, Printmaker Albrecht Altdorfer (c 1480 near Regensburg &ndash 12 February 1538 in Regensburg) was a German painter, Printmaker Lucas Cranach may refer to Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472&ndash1553 Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515&ndash1586 Carl Spitzweg ( February 5, 1808 - September 23, 1885) was a German romanticist painter and Poet Franz von Lenbach ( December 13, 1836 - May 6, 1904) was a German painter Biography Lenbach was born Franz Stuck ( February 24, 1863 - August 30, 1928) was a German Symbolist / Art Nouveau painter, Franz Marc ( February 8, 1880 &ndash March 4, 1916) was one of the principal painters and printmakers of the German Gabriele Münter (1877–1962 was a German Expressionist painter who was at the forefront of the Munich Avant-garde in the early 20th century
• Musicians such as Orlando di Lasso, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Carl Orff, Johann Pachelbel and Theobald Boehm, the inventor of the modern flute, and countertenor Klaus Nomi. Orlande de Lassus (also Orlandus Lassus, Orlando di Lasso, Roland de Lassus, or Roland Delattre) (1532 (possibly 1530 &ndash June Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 &ndash 8 September 1949 was a German Composer of the late Romantic era and early modern era particularly noted Carl Orff ( &ndash) was a 20th-century German Composer, most famous for Carmina Burana (1937 Theobald Böhm (or Boehm) ( April 9, 1794 – November 27, 1881) was a Bavarian Inventor and Musician The flute is a Musical instrument of the Woodwind family Unlike other woodwind instruments a flute is a Reedless wind instrument that produces its This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Klaus Sperber ( January 24, 1944 - August 6, 1983) better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German Countertenor noted
• Modern musicians like Klaus Doldinger and Barbara Dennerlein. Klaus Doldinger (born May 12 1936) is a German Saxophonist, especially well-known for Jazz and as a Composer Barbara Dennerlein (born 25 September 1964 in Munich, Germany) is a Hard bop and Post-bop Hammond B3 Organist
• Writers, poets and playwrights like Hans Sachs, Jean Paul, Frank Wedekind, Christian Morgenstern, Oskar Maria Graf, Bertolt Brecht, Lion Feuchtwanger, Thomas Mann and his sons Klaus and Golo Mann. This article refers to the poet For other people of the same name see Hans Sachs (disambiguation. Jean Paul ( 21 March, 1763 &mdash 14 November, 1825) born Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, was a German Writer, Benjamin Franklin Wedekind ( Hannover July 24, 1864 &ndash Munich March 9, 1918) usually known as Frank Wedekind Christian Morgenstern ( May 6, 1871 &ndash March 31, 1914) was a German Author and Poet from Munich Oskar Maria Graf ( July 22 1894 &ndash June 28 1967) was a German Author. (born; 10 February 1898&ndash14 August 1956 was a German Poet, Playwright, and Theatre director. Lion Feuchtwanger (pseudonym JL Wetcheek) ( 7 July 1884 - 21 December 1958) was a German - Jewish Novelist Paul Thomas Mann ( June Klaus Mann ( November 18, 1906 &ndash May 21, 1949) was a German Writer. Golo Mann ( March 27, 1909 &ndash April 7, 1994) born Angelus Gottfried Thomas Mann, was a popular German Historian
• Scientists such as Max Planck, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, and Werner Heisenberg, as well as Adam Ries, Joseph von Fraunhofer, Georg Ohm, Johannes Stark, Carl von Linde, Rudolf Moessbauer, Helmut Hirt and Robert Huber. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (27 March 1845 &ndash 10 February 1923 was a German physicist, who on 8 November 1895 produced and detected Electromagnetic Werner Heisenberg (5 December 1901 in Würzburg &ndash1 February 1976 in Munich) was a German theoretical physicist best known for enunciating the Adam Ries (1492 – March 30, 1559) was a German Mathematician. Joseph von Fraunhofer ( March 6, 1787 &ndash June 7, 1826) was a German optician Georg Simon Ohm' was a German physicist As a high school teacher Ohm began his research with the recently invented Electrochemical cell, invented by Italian Count Johannes Stark ( April 15, 1874 &ndash June 21, 1957) was a prominent 20th century German physicist, and Physics Professor Doctor Carl Paul Gottfried von Linde ( 11 June, 1842 - 16 November 1934) was a German engineer who developed Refrigeration Rudolf Ludwig Mössbauer (Rudolf Ludwig Mößbauer born January 31, 1929) is a German Physicist who studied Gamma rays from Robert Huber is a German Biochemist and Nobel laureate. He was born 20 February 1937 in Munich where his father
• Well-known inventors such as Martin Behaim, Levi Strauss and Rudolf Diesel. Martin (of Behaim ( October 6, 1459 &ndash July 29, 1507) (or Behem, Boemia or Bohemia) was a German Levi Strauss, born Löb Strauß, ( February 26, 1829 - September 26, 1902) was a German - Jewish immigrant Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel (ˈʁuːdɔlf ˈkʁɪstjan ˈkaʁl ˈdiːzəl March 18, 1858 – last seen alive September 29, 1913) was a
• Physicians like Max Joseph von Pettenkofer, Sebastian Kneipp and the neurologist Alois Alzheimer, who first described the Alzheimer's Disease. Max Joseph von Pettenkofer ( 3 December 1818 - 10 February 1901) Bavarian chemist and hygienist was born at Lichtenheim, Sebastian Kneipp ( May 17, 1821, Stephansried, Germany &ndash June 17, 1897 in Bad Wörishofen) was a Aloysius "Alois" Alzheimer (14 June 1864 - 19 December 1915 was a German Psychiatrist and Neuropathologist and a colleague of Emil Kraepelin Alzheimer's disease ( AD) also called Alzheimer disease or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of Dementia.
• Footballers like Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier, Gerd Müller, Paul Breitner, Klaus Augenthaler, Lothar Matthäus, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Christian Lell and Andreas Ottl. Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945) is a German football coach manager and former player nicknamed der Kaiser Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier (born 28 February 1944) is a German former professional football Goalkeeper. Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (German ˈgɛʀt ˈmʏlɐ born November 3, 1945 in Nördlingen) is a former (West German football Paul Breitner (born September 5, 1951 in Kolbermoor, Bavaria) is a former German football player Klaus Augenthaler (born 26 September 1957 in Fürstenzell, near Passau in Bavaria, Germany) is a former football player and now manager Lothar Herbert Matthäus (born March 21, 1961) is a German former football player and now manager currently managing Israeli club (born August 1, 1984 in Kolbermoor, Bavaria) is a German footballer who plays as a Midfielder for Bayern Philipp Lahm (born November 11, 1983 in Munich, Bavaria) is a German footballer who plays as a defender for Thomas Hitzlsperger (born April 5, 1982 in Munich) is a German footballer who plays for VfB Stuttgart as a Midfielder Christian Lell (born August 29, 1984 in Munich, Germany) is a German football defender who plays for Andreas Ottl (born March 1, 1985 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany) is a German footballer who plays as a
• Actors like Werner Stocker and Andreas Miltenberger (The Silence of the Lambs (film) and Hannibal (film)). Werner Stocker (b April 7, 1955 in Flintsbach am Inn, Bavaria, Germany -d The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 suspense film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal is a 2001 Thriller film directed by Ridley Scott, adapted from the Thomas Harris novel of the same name.
• Film directors Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Joseph Vilsmaier and Werner Herzog. Rainer Werner Fassbinder (May 31 1945 &ndash June 10 1982 was a German Film director, Screenwriter and Actor. Joseph Vilsmaier (born January 24, 1939 in Munich) is a German Film director. Werner Herzog (born Werner H Stipetić; September 5 1942 is a German Film director, Screenwriter, actor and Opera director
• Mystic and prophet Matthias Stormberger (he apparently foresaw World War I, World War II and the rise of Adolf Hitler, in 1830. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately )
• Mysterious people: Kaspar Hauser (the famous foundling), The Smith of Kochel (legend). Kaspar Hauser (April 30 1812 (? &ndash December 17, 1833) was a mysterious foundling in 19th century Germany. The Smith of Kochel is a figure from Bavarian myth According to this myth he was a soldier in the Habsburg-Ottoman Wars ( Battle of Vienna
• Sportsman like Bernhard Langer (golf)
• Legendary outlaws such as Matthias Klostermayr, better known as Bavarian Hiasl (German: Bayerische Hiasl, bavarian: Boarische Hiasl), Bavaria's Robin Hood (1736 - 1771). Life and work Langer was born in Anhausen near Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. Matthias Klostermayr, known as Bavarian Hiasl (in German Bayerische Hiasl, in Austro-Bavarian Boarische Hiasl) ( 3 September[[

Company names

The motorcycle and automobile makers BMW (Bayerische Motoren-Werke, or Bavarian Motor Works) and Audi, Grundig (consumer electronics), Siemens (electricity, telephones, informatics, medical instruments), Adidas and Puma, HypoVereinsbank (UniCredit Group), Infineon have (or had) a Bavarian industrial base. ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters Grundig AG is a German manufacturer of Consumer electronics for home entertainment WikipediaManual of Style (trademarks, which says "Lowercased trademarks with no internal Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport ( Puma) ( is a large German-based Multinational company that produces high-end Athletic shoes and other sportswear

The iconic, opening scenes of the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein film musical The Sound of Music were shot in the Bavarian Alps.

Bavaria has also given its name to a major Dutch brewery, Bavaria Brewery. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Bavaria is a Dutch Brewery founded in 1719 by Laurentius Moorees in Lieshout, North Brabant, and currently owned by the Swinkels family

The meaning of the coat of arms

Bavarian herald Joerg Rugenn wearing a tabard of the arms around 1510

Modern coat of arms was designed by Eduard Ege in 1946, following heraldic traditions.

• The Golden Lion: At the dexter chief, sable, a lion rampant Or, armed and langued gules. This represents the administrative region of Upper Palatinate.
• The "Franconian Rake": At the sinister chief, per fess dancetty, gules and argent. This represents the administrative regions of Upper, Middle and Lower Franconia.
• The Blue Panther: At the dexter base, argent, a panther rampant azure, armed Or and langued gules. This represents the regions of Lower and Upper Bavaria.
• The Three Lions: At the sinister base, Or, three lions passant guardant sable, armed and langued gules. This represents Swabia.
• The White-And-Blue Heart-Shaped Shield: The heart-shaped shield of white and blue fusils askance was originally the coat of arms of the Counts of Bogen, adopted in 1247 by the Wittelsbachs House. The white-and-blue fusils are indisputably the emblem of Bavaria and the heart-shaped shield today symbolizes Bavaria as a whole. Along with the People's Crown, it is officially used as the Minor Coat of Arms.
• The People's Crown: The four coat fields with the heart-shaped shield in the centre are crowned with a golden band with precious stones decorated with five ornamental leaves. This crown appeared for the first time in the coat of arms in 1923 to symbolize sovereignty of the people after the dropping out of the royal crown.

Arms of the Bavarian electorate 1753:
Arms of the Kingdom of Bavaria 1807:
Arms of the Kingdom of Bavaria 1835:

Bavarian citizenship

The fact that unlike all other German Länder, Bavaria's constitution provides for Bavarian citizenship is often mentioned as an indicator for Bavarian distinctiveness. Some Bavarians are keen to emphasize that - in accordance with the generous indication of the constitution — they regard everyone

• born in Bavaria,
• born to a Bavarian parent,
• adopted by a Bavarian as a child,
• married to a Bavarian, or
• naturalized in Bavaria,

as a fellow-Bavarian; some of those falling under this untechnical definition express pride in being Bavarian. However, state legislation regulating citizenship procedures has never been enacted, the constitution itself provides that all Germans enjoy the same rights as Bavarian citizens, and no office issues certificates concerning a "Bavarian" citizenship. Thus, the notion of citizenship rather bears a folkloristic, but not really political meaning.

However, many of those born in Bavaria clearly divide between born Bavarians and people that only moved to Bavaria. The nickname for all those who came to Bavaria is Zugeroaste (Zugereiste = those who have traveled here).

Many people in the northern part of Bavaria see themselves as Franconians and do therefore not like to be called Bavarians. They have a separate dialect and don't wear traditional Bavarian clothing.

German-Bavarian relations

It is a common joke in Germany that Bavaria is not part of Germany. In fact a minority seriously agrees with this notion; the Bayernpartei (Bavaria Party) advocates Bavarian independence from Germany. The Bavaria Party (Bayernpartei is a Political party in the state of Bavaria in southern Germany. It is important to note that Bavaria was the only state to reject the West German constitution in 1949. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. However this has had no consequences on its implementation. Furthermore, many NGOs (non-governmental organizations) have a German and a dedicated Bavarian branch. For example the Red Cross: BRK (Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz) in Bavaria and DRK (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz) in the rest of Germany. The main disintegrated factor might seem to be the fact that Bavaria has its very own political party (CSU) representing the free state in the Bundestag. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. However, the CSU always cooperates with CDU (Christian Democratic Union)^[3], forming factions and building up the government with it. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Thus, the existence of a dedicated party is not necessarily a disintegrating factor and is rather seen as a sign for political diversity in Germany. Bavaria fielded a border police force, much like the Federal German Grenzschutz, during the Cold War.

Bavarian culture overseas

The Bavarians take great pride in their culture. Traditions are taught to the children and descendants of Bavarian citizens through literature, music and cultural events. Whether actually in Bavaria, overseas or full citizens of other nations they continue to cultivate their traditions. They hold festivals and dances to keep their traditions alive. In New York the German American Cultural Society is a larger umbrella group for others such as the Bavarian organizations, which represent a specific part of Germany. They proudly put forth a German Parade each year. Various affiliated events take place amongst its groups, one of which is the Bavarian Dancers .

Population and area

See also

• List of rulers of Bavaria
• List of Premiers of Bavaria
• Former countries in Europe after 1815
• Extensive pictures of Bavaria in addition to those shown below are linked from in Category:Bavaria, where they are organized (predominantly) by locale. The following is a list of rulers during the History of Bavaria. This is a list of the men who have served in the capacity of Minister President or equivalent office in Bavaria from the mid-18th century to the present Bavaria under This article gives an overview of countries (including puppet-countries that existed in Europe after the Congress of Vienna in 1815

External links

• Churches in Bavaria
• http://www.bayern.de official website
• platform with additional information about many cities in Bavaria
• http://www.bavariandancers.com Tradition and Culture

References