CASTLES

Even today castles and palaces in and around Munich are evidence of the splendor of the former residential city. Since the Middle Ages, Munich had been the seat of government of the Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty and thus political and cultural center of dukes, electors and kings of Bavaria. The earliest palace building in the capital was the Alte Hof with an attached complex of buildings, among them the famous Hofbräuhaus which was founded as a brewery by Wilhelm V within the castle walls in 1589.

The Munich Residence with its 130 rooms and 10 inner courtyards is an extensive palace which served the Wittelsbach dynasty as seat of government and residence for more than hundreds of years. Each ruler extended it, according to his wishes and comfort, so that the building complex is both interior and exterior a conglomeration of the respective epochs (renaissance, baroque, rococo, classicism). When sightseeing the Residence it is also worth while visiting the Treasury, the royal apartments and the Antiquarium, the largest and most splendor renaissance hall north of the Alps. Do not miss taking a glance into the Cuvilliés Theater, the major work of Bavarian rococo and one of the best examples in Europe of a synthesis of the arts.

Two of the most magnificent examples of European residence buildings outside the city center which should be on the top list when visiting Munich are: Schloss Nymphenburg − Germany’s largest baroque palace complex with its romantic park pavilions Amalienburg, Badenburg and Pagodenburg and the famous Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory − as well as Schleissheim Palace with its extensive park grounds. Most famous are without doubt Ludwig II’s palaces. In the 19th century the three magnificent and in their style unique palaces were commissioned by Ludwig II faraway of his seat of government in the Bavarian Alpine foothills. On request artattendance offers you a day-trip to the fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein which is typical of the king’s fascination for Richard Wagner and medieval mythology and also to the hunting seat Linderhof, Ludwig II’s favorite palace. Another day-trip takes you to Herrenchiemsee in Chiemgau. The palace, a new interpretation of Versailles, is situated romantically on an island in Bavaria’s largest lake, Chiemsee.