Photographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
200 years on, fun, frolic and beer continues to flow in Bavarian capital Munich.
Oktoberfest, the largest festival in the world, is attended by some six million visitors from all around the world every year.
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Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes toast with beer during the opening day of the 177th OktoberfestPhotographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
And who doesn't dream of experiencing the original in Munich some time in their life or at least of visiting the 'beer Mecca' one day?
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes toast with beer during the opening day of the 177th Oktoberfest in MunichPhotographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
The festival has much more to offer than exciting roller-coasters and huge beer tents.
While on the Oktoberfest grounds high-tech rides and attractions such as the Olympia Looping and the Star Flyer spin visitors at racing speed to dizzying heights, huge festival halls seating up to 10,000 guests invite revellers to enjoy beer and chicken.
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: A couple look at traditional gingerbread hearts for a sale on a stall in the festival groundsPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes toast with beer during the opening day of the 177th Oktoberfest in MunichPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: People in traditional Bavarian clothes take part in the Parade of the Landlords and Breweries during the opening of the 177th Oktoberfest in MunichPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
The official wedding festivities lasted five days and were staged as a grand ovation to the ruling dynasty of the young Wittelsbach kingdom.
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: A general view of the festival grounds on the opening day of the 177th Oktoberfest in MunichPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
In honour of the bride, the festive meadow was named 'Theresens-Wiese'. Thus the grounds for Oktoberfest are called "Theresienwiese" till today -- a term that was abbreviated to 'Wiesn' in common Munich parlance.
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: People in traditional costumes march during the Oktoberfest parade in MunichPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: A woman in a traditional costume sits on a horse carriage during the Oktoberfest parade in MunichPhotographs: Michael Dalder/Reuters
Guests can watch the races from a grandstand and enjoy the presentation of historic customs, groups dressed in traditional attire and folk dancing.
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: A waitress serves beer during the opening day of the 177th Oktoberfest in MunichPhotographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
Here you can experience the 'Ride into Paradise' built in 1939 as well as the 'Calypso' from the 1950s.
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes toast with beerPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: Bavarian men in traditional attire play alphorns to celebrate 200 years of OktoberfestPhotographs: Michael Dalder/Reuters
At the historical festive tent traditional customs including folk dance, whip-cracking demonstrations and Bavarian brass bands are presented every day.
There you can celebrate as the Bavarian ancestors did 200 years ago: When classical Munich dishes such as "B fflamott" (beef stew) and "Rumfort soup" (stew with vegetables and pulses) and beer jointly brewed for this occasion by Munich breweries are served exclusively during the anniversary celebration.
Hick! Fun and froth at world's largest beer fest
Image: Gingerbread dough for traditional Oktoberfest hearts pass along a conveyor belt after being cut outPhotographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
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