The huge Theresienwiese (Theresa Meadow), better known as Wies'n, southwest of the Altstadt, is the site of the Oktoberfest. Measuring 420,000 sq meters, for most of the year this is a big, vacant, gravelly space (it's not a meadow!), but for around two months in the European autumn it comes alive with one of the biggest annual knees-up anywhere on Earth.
At the western end of the "meadow" is the Ruhmeshalle guarding solemn statues of Bavarian leaders, as well as the Bavariastatue, an 18m-high Amazon in the Statue of Liberty tradition, oak wreath in her hand and lion at her feet. This iron lady has a cunning design that makes her seem solid, but actually you can climb via the knee joint up to the head for a great view of the Oktoberfest. At other times, views are not particularly inspiring.
