Munich Residenz

The Munich Residenz is the largest city palace in Germany, the seat of the Wittelsbach rulers from 1508 until the end of the monarchy in 1918. What began as a small moated castle was expanded over four centuries into a complex of ten courtyards, 130 rooms, and three main sections: the Old Residenz, the Maxburg, and the King's Residenz. The Antiquarium, built by Duke Albrecht V between 1568 and 1571, is the largest Renaissance hall north of the Alps, originally designed to house the ducal collection of antiquities. Its barrel-vaulted ceiling painted by Hans Thonauer the Younger and the niches lined with classical sculptures make it the most dramatic single space in the complex. The Treasury holds the Bavarian crown jewels, including the crown of Queen Therese and the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The Cuvilliés Theatre, designed by François de Cuvilliés in the Rococo style and built between 1751 and 1755, seats about 500 and retains its original multi-tiered wooden interior in red and gold. Visitors can also tour the Ancestral Gallery, the Porcelain Cabinet, and the Nibelungen Halls. The Residenz opens onto the Hofgarten on the north side and is a short walk from Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz.