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Justizpalast
Just west of Karlsplatz, the 1890s Justizpalast looms like a pompous presence with neobaroque and neo-Renaissance flourishes. 'Justice' was not exactly meted out here on 22 February 1943 when Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst were condemned to death by the notorious judge Roland Freisler. The verdict was read at . Four hours later they were dead. There's a permanent exhibit about the sham trial in the very courtroom in room 253.
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Karlstor Gate
The medieval Karlstor gate is one of Munich's remaining medieval town gates. The Karlstor gate forms part of the western gateway to the Altstadt and the pedestrianised shopping precinct along Neuhauser Strasse and Kaufinger Strasse.
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KinderReich
Many museums have special kid-oriented programs, but the highly interactive KinderReich specifically lures the single-digit set. Here tots ages three to eight can climb all over a fire engine, build things with giant Lego, construct a waterway with canals and locks, or bang on the drum all day in a - thankfully - soundproof instrument room.
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Klosterkirche St Anna im Lehel
The Asamkirche may be more sumptuous, but the Klosterkirche St Anna im Lehel is actually a collaboration of the top dogs of the rococo. Johann Michael Fischer designed the building, and Cosmas Damian Asam painted the stunning ceiling fresco and altar. So there!
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Königsplatz
Nothing less than the Acropolis in Athens provided the inspiration for Leo von Klenze's imposing Königsplatz , commissioned by Ludwig I and anchored by a Doric-columned Propyläen gateway and two templelike museums. The Nazis added a few buildings of their own and abused the square with their mass parades. Only the foundations of these structures remain at the east end of the square, rendered unrecognisable by foliage.
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Kulturzentrum Gasteig
Haidhausen is home to one of Munich's finest cultural venues, the Kulturzentrum Gasteig whose postmodern, boxy, glass-and-brick design caused quite a controversy back a generation ago. The name is derived from the Bavarian term ' gaacher Steig ', meaning 'steep trail'. The complex harbours four concert halls, including the 2400-seat Philharmonie, which is the permanent home of the Münchner Philharmoniker and also hosts renowned international orchestras.
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Kunstbau
Kunstbau is a 120m-long underground tunnel above the U-Bahn station Königsplatz. Works of the expressionist Blauer Reiter (Blue Rider) artist group founded by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc in 1911 are shown here as well as at the nearby Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus.
It's scheduled to close in 2009 for a top-to-bottom renovation directed by British star architect Lord Norman Foster. A reopening date has not been set.
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Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung
An art space with high-calibre changing exhibits.
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Kurfürstenzimmer
Upstairs and only accessible in the morning are the Kurfürstenzimmer (Elector's Rooms) with some stunning Italian portraits and a passage lined with two dozen views of Italy, painted by local romantic artist Carl Rottmann.
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Leopoldstrasse
Grab a table in a street-side café on Leopoldstrasse and watch the world on parade. What do you see? Bronzed lotharios in deep-buttoned white shirts. Faux blondes in tiny tees. Teens in tight premium jeans. Chic mamas walking designer dogs. Yup, no matter what you've heard or read, Schwabing's reputation as a boho stronghold of artists and students is a thing of the past.
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Leuchtenberg-Palais
A stately town palace modelled after a Roman palazzo and now home of the Bavarian Finance Ministry.
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Lorettokapelle
The design of the little Loreto Chapel emulates the Gnadenkapelle in Altötting. Outside the prim church ensemble of St Nikolai and Lorettokapelle, the covered walkway protects some pretty nifty 'Stations of the Cross' made of Nymphenburg porcelain.
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Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Bavaria's oldest university, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität started out as political football for its rulers. Founded in Ingolstadt in 1472, it moved to Landshut in 1800 before being lassoed to Munich in 1826 by newly crowned King Ludwig I. It has produced more than a dozen Nobel Prize winners, including Wilhelm Röntgen in 1901 and Theodor Hiersch in 2005.
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Ludwigskirche
The twin-towered Ludwigskirche, built by Friedrich von Gärtner between 1829 and 1844, is a sombre affair with a major showpiece: the Last Judgment fresco by the Nazarene painter Peter Cornelius in the choir. It's one of the largest in the world and an immodest - and thoroughly unsuccessful - attempt to outdo Michelangelo's version. Even King Ludwig I was none too impressed, which prompted Cornelius to beat a hasty retreat to Berlin.
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Magdalenenklause
The Magdalenenklause was built as a mock hermitage in faux 'ruined' style.
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Marienplatz
The heart and soul of the Altstadt, Marienplatz, is a popular gathering spot and packs a lot of personality into its relatively small frame. It's anchored by the Mariensäule (Mary's Column), built in 1638 to celebrate victory over Swedish forces during the Thirty Years' War; it's topped by a golden statue of the Virgin Mary balancing on a crescent moon.
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Marstallmuseum
In the south wing of the Schloss Nymphenburg are the coaches and riding gear of the royal families, suitably displayed in the Marstallmuseum. Ludwig II's over-the-top sleigh, fitted with oil lamps for his nocturnal outings, is not to be missed. The 1st floor features a collection of porcelain made by the legendary Nymphenburger Manufaktur and a shop.
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Max-Joseph-Platz
Munich's most glamorous shopping street, Maximilianstrasse, begins at Max-Joseph-Platz home to some of the city's most beloved edifices. Among them is the grandiose Nationaltheater, home to the Bavarian State Opera and the granddaddy of them all - the Residenz. The square centres on a statue of Max I Joseph, the Bavarian king who proclaimed Germany's first constitution in 1818. At the southern end of the square is the old central post office with a frescoed Italianate arcade.
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Maximilianeum
Maximilianstrasse culminates in the glorious Maximilianeum, completed in 1874, a decade after Max II's sudden death. It's an imposing structure, drawn like a theatre curtain across a hilltop, bedecked with mosaics, paintings and other artistic objects. There's a free exhibit about the Bavarian parliament, which moved here in 1949. It's framed by an undulating park called the Maximiliananlagen, which is a haven for cyclists in summer and tobogganists in winter.
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Maximilianstrasse
It's pricey and pretentious, but no trip to Munich would be complete without a saunter down Maximilianstrasse, one of the city's grandest boulevards. Starting at Max-Joseph-Platz, it's a 1km-long ribbon of style where sample-size fembots browse for Escada and Prada, and suits sip champagne in pavement cafés, with nary a hair out of place. Several of Munich's finest theatrical venues, including the Nationaltheater, the Kammerspiele and the Kleine Komödie am Max II are also here.
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Michaelskirche
It stands quiet and dignified amid the commercialism engulfing Kaufingerstrasse, but to fans of Ludwig II the Michaelskirche is the ultimate place of pilgrimage.
Its dank crypt is the final resting place of the 'Mad King' whose humble tomb is usually drowned in flowers.
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Michaelskirche Crypt
This dank crypt is the final resting place of the 'Mad King' (Ludwig II) whose humble tomb is usually drowned in flowers.
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Müller'sches Volksbad
The best public swimming pool options in Munich include the the spectacular Müller'sches Volksbad, where you can swim in Art Nouveau splendour, then sweat it out in the Roman-Irish bath.
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Münchener Tierpark Hellabrunn
About 5000 animals are housed in Munich's 'geo-zoo', with distinct sections dividing animals by continents. The Münchener Tierpark Hellabrunn, to the south of the city, was one of the first of its kind. The sprawling, well-maintained grounds boast some impressive rhinos, elephants, deer and gazelles. It's absolutely worth the admission if only to gain access to the petting zoo, full of cuddly sheep, deer and lambs.
