Theresienwiese is a public space in the Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt district of Munich. It covers 42 hectares (100 acres) and is best known as the site of the annual Oktoberfest. [1]
The grounds border the Ruhmeshalle and Bavaria statue in the west and Esperantoplatz in the east, where a memorial commemorates the victims of the 1980 Oktoberfest bombing. The surrounding ring road, Bavariaring, provides access. To the north stands St. Paul's Church. [2]
The site is named after Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, wife of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Their wedding on 12 October 1810, when Ludwig was still crown prince, was held on a meadow outside Munich’s city walls. The meadow, later called Theresienwiese ("Therese's meadow"), became the venue of Oktoberfest, held annually since that year. [3]
Since then, the grounds have hosted additional major events, including the spring and winter Tollwood festivals [4] and one of Germany’s largest flea markets each April. [5]
Theresienwiese lies southwest of Munich city centre. It is served by the Theresienwiese station on the Munich U-Bahn lines U4 and U5. [6] The Poccistraße and Goetheplatz stations are near the southern end. The nearest Munich S-Bahn stations are Hackerbrücke and Munich Central Station.
