Munich: History, Former Names & Timeline
Capital of Bavaria and seat of the Wittelsbach dynasty for more than seven centuries.
MunichExplore Munich in the interactive map
Former names of Munich
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1158 | Munichen | ‘by the monks’ |
Timeline of Munich
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1158 | Henry the Lion sets up a market and bridge on the Isar |
| 1506 | Becomes capital of the reunited Duchy of Bavaria |
| 1806 | Bavaria becomes a kingdom with Munich as its capital |
| 1810 | The first Oktoberfest |
| 1923 | Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch fails |
| 1938 | The Munich Agreement is signed |
| 1972 | Munich hosts the Summer Olympics |
Who ruled Munich
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 400 BC–324 BC | Hallstatt culture |
| 323 BC–2 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 1 BC–299 | Roman Empire |
| 300–399 | Rome (Maximian) |
| 400–499 | Western Roman Empire |
| 500–599 | Ostrogoths |
| 600–799 | Frankish Kingdom |
| 800–899 | Carolingian Empire |
| 900–999 | East Francia |
| 1000–1782 | Holy Roman Empire |
| 1783–1879 | Bavaria |
| 1880–1913 | Germany |
| 1914–1919 | German Empire |
| 1920–1944 | Germany |
| 1945–1959 | Germany (USA) |
| 1960–1993 | West Germany |
| 1994–today | Germany |
Battles and sites near Munich
- Battle of Lechfeld · AD 955
Nearby cities
- Salzburg · about 116 km
- Nuremberg · about 150 km
- Strasbourg · about 287 km
Further reading
Questions about Munich
What was Munich called in the past?
Munich has been known as Munichen (from 1158, ‘by the monks’). Its present name dates from 1158.
Which states have ruled Munich?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Munich lies within 14 different states: Hallstatt culture, Roman Empire, Rome (Maximian), Western Roman Empire, Ostrogoths, Frankish Kingdom, Carolingian Empire, East Francia, Holy Roman Empire, Bavaria and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Munich?
1158: Henry the Lion sets up a market and bridge on the Isar. 1506: Becomes capital of the reunited Duchy of Bavaria. 1806: Bavaria becomes a kingdom with Munich as its capital. 1810: The first Oktoberfest. 1923: Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch fails.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.