Traveller's Information

The Residenz

Where? - The Residenz is located in the centre of Munich, in the Max-Joseph-Platz.

How to get there? -

Opening times -

What to see? - The Residenz was for hundreds of years the official Palace of the Dukes, then the Kings, of Bavaria. It is an enormous complex of buildings constructed around seven courtyards. It was constructed in many stages between 1550 and 1842. Thanks to British Bomber Command during WW2, it was practically destroyed by aerial bombing in 1944 - 45. The wartime destruction has, however, been brilliantly restored, and we now see the Residenz like new.

For the Ludwig enthusiast, WW2 totally destroyed the most important section of the Palace - his Private Apartments that were constructed for him in 1867. These rooms were located in the north-west corner of the Palace, which was the part where the allied bombs fell heaviest. Today these rooms have been restored to their appearance in the time of Ludwig I. (Ludwig II's grandfather.) The Apartments were built in a rococo style similar to Linderhof, but very toned down. Ludwig hadn't developed his flamboyant style at this early period. They were, in fact, one of the most delicate and lovely schemes he built. Their loss was one of the many tragedies Art suffered during WW2.

At the same time, one floor below this Suite of rooms, Ludwig had a corridor redecorated with scenes from Wagner's 'Ring'. A few of these paintings survive, but, once again, most were destroyed in the war.

On the roof of his Apartments was the Winter Garden, a vast fantasy world inside a glasshouse similar to the large glasshouse in Kew Gardens, London. The centrepiece of the Winter Garden was the lake, where Ludwig kept live swans. The Winter Garden was filled with the most exotic tropical plants that could be found, and would have been a magnificent sight in the middle of a Munich winter. Unfortunately, the Winter Garden was dismantled in the 1890's after Ludwig's death. Apparently it was very cheaply constructed, and the lake leaked into the servant's quarters that lay directly below it, causing very bad rot. Either the Winter Garden had to go, or the NW corner of the Residenz eventually collapse.

Today the Residenz is fascinating for seeing the world that Ludwig grew up in. It has been restored magnificently to the Palace that Ludwig knew as a boy. In fact, the Royal Family lived in the NW section of the Palace while King Max II (Ludwig's father) was Crown Prince. When he became King, the Residenz remained their Palace, and it was here that Ludwig spent his early life. The Nibelungen Halls on the ground floor of the Königsbau must have influenced him to some extent.

One section of the Palace not to be missed is the Treasury. Here you can see the Wittelsbach treasures, including the Crown Jewels and Royal Regalia. These feature the Queen's Crown that was altered by order of Ludwig in 1867 during the preparations for his ill-fated wedding. There are also several pieces of jewellery worn by Ludwig, such as hat-brooches, pins, rings etc. The various Bavaria Royal Orders can be seen as well, giving a fascinating insight into Bavarian history. (As King, Ludwig was Master of the Order of the Knights of St. George, Bavaria's highest Order of Chivalry. Regalia of this Order can be seen in the Treasury.)

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