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town in Upper Bavaria, Germany
Europe > Central Europe > Germany > Bavaria > Upper Bavaria > Freising

Town square with town hall and St. George's Church

Freising is a city in Bavaria, 40km (25 mi) North of Munich. Freising is known as the historical center of the Catholic Church in Bavaria and as the location of the world's oldest continuously operating brewery. The campus of Munich University located in Freising offers the world's only regular university course for brewery, including post graduate research into chemistry and biology of beer brewing. Due to the faculties large international undergraduate and post graduate student body, most master brewers in the world's major breweries have a professional or educational relationship to Freising. Freising is the closest place of touristic interest to Munich Airport.

Understand

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Though archaeological finds show that the area was settled since the Bronze Age, there is no evidence that there was continuous settlement until the 8th century, when Saint Corbinian settled at a shrine on Weihenstephan hill in 724. Corbinian was a forerunner during the christianization of Southern Germany and first bishop of Freising. Freising quickly became an important town and religious center in Bavaria, and therefore emperor Otto III granted the settlement city rights in 996. The town's significance declined sharply, though, after Duke Henry the Lion destroyed Freisings Isar bridges and salt works in 1158 to boost his own Isar crossing in Munich, which by the time was a mere toll station. However, the prince-bishopric of Freising kept its independence and stayed the religious center of Bavaria until the beginning of the 19th century, when it was politically merged with Bavaria.

During World War II Freising was only of minor importance and as it housed a military hospital for foreign officers was therefore considered safe from attacks. The only major air raid was conducted shortly before the end of the war on 18 April 1945 targeting the cities station and a vehicle factory. On 29.04.1945 Freising surrendered to the approaching American troops (after a brief artillery bombardment), though the retreating SS managed to blow up the cities main bridge in an attempt to delay the American advance.

Freisings economical resurgence and major growth began with the planning and construction of Munich Airport, which was opened in 1992 bordering the city. Today Freising is economically healthy, with one of the highest residency growth rates and lowest unemployment rates in Germany. The cities university, which is part of the Technical University Munich, is renowned in the field of life science, agriculture, and brewing technology. The cities most well known institution is the Weihenstephan brewery, founded in 1040 and therefore is considered the worlds oldest continuously operating brewery.

Get in

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Freising is the closest town to Munich airport allowing for a quick visit during a 3h stopover. For a visit to downtown Munich a 5-6h stopover is required.

By plane

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The city is easily reachable by plane via 1 Munich Airport (MUC IATA). Munich Airport (Q131402) on Wikidata Munich Airport on Wikipedia  which in fact is located on Freising's territory. Munich Airport is the 7th busiest in Europe and has international connections to most major cities in Europe and also sees a lot of intercontinental flights. There are regional trains and the regional bus 635 connecting the airport to the city.

By Taxi

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Freising is a 15min/€25 Taxi ride from Munich airport.

By train

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Freising is part of Greater Munich's public transportation network MVV. Regional trains, S-Bahn, buses and Munich U-Bahn and tram are all part of the same ticketing network and system and you can transfer between all modes during the validity of your ticket.

  • 2 Freising station. Freising station is a major stop on the regional train line from Munich to Landshut and Regensburg. Virtually every train along that line stops in Freising, with the major benefit of a much faster speed, compared to the S-Bahn. The suburban train (S-Bahn) S1 leaves Munich Central Station every 20 min and needs approx. 45 min to reach Freising. Be aware that the S1 train is split before it reaches Freising and one half is going to the airport, so make sure you are in the right part. Freising station (Q800785) on Wikidata Freising station on Wikipedia 

By car

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Freising is well connected to the German autobahn network. The city has three exits - (5) Freising-Süd, (7) Freising-Mitte, (8) Freising-Ost - along autobahn A 92 from Munich to Landshut and Deggendorf in west-eastern direction, and one exit - (67) Allershausen - along autobahn A 9 from Munich to Nuremberg and Berlin in south-northern direction.

By bicycle

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The Isarradweg long-distance cycling route runs from Bavarian Alps to the Danube along the river Isar through the city.

Get around

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Due to the relatively compact size of the city, Freising is easily navigable on foot, whereas parking is scarce and going by car therefore not a real option. For those refusing any exercise or physically unable to walk the city provides a bus system, which is also part of Munich's fare system MVV.

Freising Cathedral
  • 1 Baroque hall of the Cathedral library (Barocksaal der Dombibliothek), Domberg 40, ☏ +49 8161 48400, . closed for renovation!. Built in 1732, the library was planned as a representative "public" library from the start - the first and only library open to the public in Bavaria at that time. 
  • 2 Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan (Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan), Alte Akademie 2, ☏ +49 8161 536199, . M & W 10:00, Tu 10:00 & 13:00. Weihenstephaner was founded in 1040, which makes it the oldest still existing brewery in the world. Today it is owned by the state of Bavaria and affiliated to the Technical University Munich. There are two different tours available: The small tour through the plant (1 h) contrary to the big tour (2 h) does not include a beer dégustation and a free glass. Small tour €6, Big tour €9. 
  • 3 City Museum (Freisinger Stadtmuseum), Marienplatz 7, ☏ +49 8161 5444555, . Closed for Revonation. The museum is all about Freising's city history. The focus lies on the city here and not on the diocese. Adults €2, Concessions €1. 
  • 4 Diocese Museum (Diözesanmuseum Freising), Domberg 21, ☏ +49 8161 48790, . 09:00-18:00. One of the many sights connected to Catholicism, this museum shows catholic works of art. Adults €12, Concessions €10. 
  • 5 Freising Cathedral (Saint Mary and Corbinian Cathedral), Domberg 27, ☏ +49 8161 1810. Summer Sa-Th 8:00-18:00 & F 14:00-18:00, Winter Sa-Th 8:00-17:00 & F 14:00-17:00. The cathedral was the center of the diocese of Freising from its first construction in 860 until 1821, when the bishop moved to Munich and Frauenkirche became the new cathedral. The church is on top of a steep hill overlooking Freising and Upper Bavaria, with views as far as Munich and the Bavarian Alps. Especially the crypt and the Johanni chapel are masterpieces of architecture and art. There are tours available for €4.50 (60 min). Freising Cathedral (Q262769) on Wikidata Freising Cathedral on Wikipedia (updated Jul 2024)
  • 6 Research plantation (Sichtungsgarten), Am Staudengarten 7, ☏ +49 8161 714026. Apr-Oct 9:00-18:00. The plantation is part of the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Science. It is open to the public to stroll through and it and enjoy the combination of different plants. free. 
Uferlos festival
  • 1 Stein-Center, Weinmiller Straße 5, ☏ +49 941 89964140. M-Sa 9:00-20:00. Here you can buy everything for your daily needs. There is also a pharmacy and a hairdresser. 
  • 1 Bräustüberl Weihenstephan (Bavarian), Weihenstephaner Berg 10, ☏ +49 8161 13004, . 10:00-0:00. The Bräustüberl is next to the premises of the Weihenstephaner brewery on top of a steep hill. The restaurants serves traditional Bavarian cuisine. They also have a beer garden, where you are allowed to bring your own food, and just have to buy the drinks. 
  • 2 Hofbräuhauskeller Freising (Bavarian), Lankesbergstraße 5, ☏ +49 8161 6010, . 10:00-0:00. Hofbräuhauskeller is part of Hofbräuhaus Freising and located right behind the Baroque Revival brewery. The restaurant serves Bavarian food and also has a beer garden, where you can bring your own food. 
  • 3 Weissbräu Huber (Bavarian), General-von-Nagel-Straße 5, ☏ +49 8161 548686, . M-W 11:00-0:00, Th-F 11:00-1:00, Sa 10:00-0:00, Su 10:00-23:00. Every bigger town in Bavaria needs its own wheat beer (Weißbier) brewery and this used to be Freising's, before the brewery was bought by Hofbräuhaus Freising. The restaurant in the city center serves traditional Bavarian food and has also has a beer garden. 

Drink

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  • 1 Sammamera, Vöttinger Straße 2a. M-Sa 18:00-2:00, Su 18:00-0:00. Students pub that offers beer sorts from smaller breweries from the region. Beer (0.5L) €2.80. (updated Sep 2020)
  • 2 Carlitos, Obere Hauptstraße 64, ☏ +49 8161 4923523, . M-Th 19:00-1:00, F 19:00-3:00, Sa 15:00-3:00, Su 19:00-0:00. Carlitos is a small cozy pub with fair prizes, that is always well-frequented. 
  • 3 Furtners (Furtnerbräu), Obere Hauptstraße 42, 85354 Freising. Student pub in the city center. From time to time evenings with indie bands and other events. (updated Sep 2020)

Sleep

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Connect

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  • 1 Wifi Hotspot, Untere & Obere Hauptstraße. In the city center along Untere Hauptstraße and Ober Hauptstraße there is a free-of-charge wifi hotspot. Without prior registration everybody has 30 min free internet and data transmission. 

Go next

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  • Dachau. Dachau is a suburb of Munich and reminder of the darkest days of German history. Prepare to be shocked by the atrocities committed by the Nazis during the Third Reich era displayed at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. 
  • Erding. The city is home to Europe's biggest spa. 
  • Landshut. The capital of Lower Bavaria is a short 20 min away by train to the east. The city's main attractions are the quadrennial Landshut Wedding, which takes place in the well preserved medieval city center, and St. Martin's Church, the highest church in Bavaria. 
  • Munich. Bavaria's state capital and its cultural and economical focal point is only a short train ride to the south. 
  • Regensburg. A beautiful mediaeval city at the shores of the river Danube, only 60 min from Freising by train. It's historical city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety. 
Routes through Freising
Munich ← Dachau ←  W  E  → Landshut → Deggendorf
Nuremberg ← Ingolstadt ←  N  S  → Munich
←  N  S  → Munich Airport
END ←  N  S  → Northern Munich → Munich
Regensburg ← Landshut ←  NE  S  → Munich
Prague ← Regensburg ←  NE  S  → Munich


This city travel guide to Freising is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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