Friday 4 July 2014
The Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast. With an area of 70,548 square kilometres, it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20 percent of the total land area of Germany. Bavaria is Germany's second most populous state (after North Rhine-Westphalia), with 12.5 million inhabitants. Bavaria's capital and largest city is Munich, the third largest city in Germany. The History of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and finally as a large Bundesland (state) of the modern, re-united Federal Republic of Germany. The earliest proof for the existence of Bavaria having been established as a stem duchy dates back to the year 555. In the 17th century, the Duke of Bavaria became a Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Source
