It is located on the river Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, behind Berlin and Hamburg. About 1. Munich was the host city of the Summer Olympics. Its inhabitants are sometimes called Munichers in English.
Before , it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" Cosmopolitan city with a heart. The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order, who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat of arms. Black and gold β the colours of the Holy Roman Empire β have been the city's official colours since the time of Ludwig the Bavarian. Modern Munich is a financial and publishing hub and a frequently top-ranked destination for migration and expatriate location in livability rankings.
Munich achieved 4th place in frequently quoted Mercer livability rankings in and For economic and social innovation, the city was ranked 15th globally out of cities in , and 5th in Germany by the 2thinknow Innovation Cities Index based on analysis of indicators In , Monocle ranked Munich as the world's most livable city in , Munich was ranked fifth in Monocle's ranking, yet remained the highest ranked city in Germany.
The year is assumed to be the foundation date, which is only the earliest date the city is mentioned in a document. The document was signed in Augsburg W. In , Munich was officially granted city status and received fortification.
Wittelsbach's heirs, the Wittelsbach dynasty , would rule Bavaria until He strengthened the city's position by granting it the salt monopoly, thus assuring it of additional income. In the late 15th century Munich underwent a revival of gothic arts βthe Old Town Hall was enlarged, and Munich's largest gothic church, now a cathedralβthe Frauenkirche βconstructed in only twenty years, starting in When Bavaria was reunited in , Munich became its capital.
