Sights
Munich Residence Germany's largest city centre palace
Map
Open daily (except Christmas holidays and New Years)
Munich Residenz
Residenzstraße 1
80333 Munich-Altstadt
.How to get there
ResidenzM
+49 89 290671
.www.residenz-muenchen.de
It must have been a splendid place between 1508 and 1918, when the Munich Residence was the seat of dukes, electors and kings from the House of Wittelsbach. Today, cultural events such as concerts, operas, festivals and exhibitions regularly occur in this historical monument. The Munich Residence also holds the title of "Germany's largest city centre palace".
A visit to the past is always an immersion into the lives of others. How did people live at the court of King Ludwig I or Elector Maximilian I back then? You can get some initial answers by visiting the Munich Residence in the heart of the Old Town on Odeonsplatz. The living quarters of the former rulers of Bavaria are open to the public and impress with opulent fabrics, exquisite inlays, elaborate stucco work and enchanting ceiling paintings.
The best architects of their time were entrusted not only with the decoration but also with the actual construction of the residence: Friedrich Sustris, Joseph Effner, François de Cuvilliés the Elder, Friedrich von Gärtner, and Leo von Klenze. They were all involved in transforming the former fortified castle over the centuries into a monumental complex that skillfully combines Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Classicist styles.
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Today, the Munich Residence is Germany's largest inner-city palace, covering an area of more than 40,000 square metres. In addition to the Residence Museum, the extensive complex houses the Treasury, with around 1,500 exhibits and the Cuvilliés Theatre. Highlights include the extensive Antiquarium - the largest Renaissance hall north of the Alps - and the Ancestral Gallery, which contains over one hundred portraits of members of the House of Wittelsbach.
The charming Grottenhof, with its central stalactite fountain and impressive shell wall, is also well worth a visit. The history of the Munich Residence as the former political and cultural centre of Bavaria is a great pleasure to experience as a visitor and gives an idea of the splendid life once celebrated here.
