Munich residence: history, description, opening hours

The Munich residence is a historical place where you can literally touch the history of one of the oldest royal dynasties in Europe - the Wittelsbachs. This German ancient feudal family, originating from 829 and ruling Bayern from the 13th century until 1918, belonged to a castle, the construction of which began in the 14th century and lasted throughout all 700 years of rule. During this time, the largest palace complex in Europe grew out of it, and if you decide what to see in Munich in 2 days, then it is better to reserve a voucher for at least a week. It is not possible to quickly study the whole complex, even if you stay there from morning to evening.

Five stages of construction

Neuvest is a castle that became the basis of the future palace complex. In the distant 1385, when construction began, no one could have imagined that every Elector and King of Bavaria would consider it his duty to contribute to the process of erecting a dynastic castle.

In total, there are 5 stages of construction, which resulted in the Munich residence of the Wittelsbachs:

1. After the construction of Neuvest, the next large building was started by the Duke Albrecht V (1550-1579), during the reign of which the Antiquarium was erected, where a large collection of works of art and relics of antiquity was located at that time, and the Ball Game Hall, which was not preserved until Our days.

2. The second stage was carried out according to the decree of William V (1579-1597), thanks to which the Antiquarium was decorated and equipped, there appeared a courtyard with a grotto and a house with a black hall. Built at the same time, the chambers of the heir and the room of the widow were not preserved.

3. In the third stage, thanks to Maximilian I (1598-1651), the Munich residence has practically acquired the kind that it has now. In this period were built:

• The chapel and the luxurious chapel.
• The palace of the emperor and the apartments of the maid of honor.
• The corridor of Charlotte, the papal rooms and the palace park was founded.

4. At the fourth stage, the Munich residence (Munich, Residenzstrasse, 1) gained royal luxury thanks to Elector Karl Albrecht, who wished to become emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. From 1690 to 1755 the palace was replenished with the Gallery of Ancestors, Luxurious Rooms, the Cabinet of Miniatures and the Theater of Cuvilliers.

5. The fifth stage is the final decoration of the palace, which today is known as the Munich residence. From 1817 to 1842 were built:

• Riding school.
• The Royal Theater and the National Theater.
• Church of All Saints, Hall of the Nibelungs and royal chambers.
• Summer and Winter Gardens (not preserved).

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by heating and electricity in the palace complex "Munich residence".

From the palace to the museum

When in 1918 Bavaria was declared a free state and the administration of the Wittelsbach royal family passed to the people's parliament, the last ruling king Ludwig III left the residence, and since 1920 it has become a museum.

Due to the hostilities of 1944, the complex was badly damaged, but was completely restored by 1979. Today, many tourists, deciding what to see in Germany, go to hospitable Bavaria, famous for its magnificent beer and the residence of ancient kings.

Internal courtyards

Almost 700 years of construction in the palace complex of Wittelsbach there are 10 households:

• The pharmacy courtyard was erected on the site of the first tribal castle of Neuweste in the early 19th century.
• The courtyard of the emperor, built during the time of Maximilian I, was divided into 2 parts: guest rooms (Trier and Stone) and the ceremonial imperial ceremonial.
• The courtyard with the chapel is located near the eponymous building.

• The courtyard with the grotto is a picturesque corner with a fountain "Perseus killing the Gorgon" (by Cellini) and a grotto in the style of an Indian epic.
• The "powdered" courtyard is named so because of the room near which it is located. In it, wigs were previously powdered.
• The Courtyard of the Committee today has a glass roof and is located near the theater of Cuvilliers.
• The courtyard with a fountain was once the venue for chivalric tournaments.
• The office yard became a beautiful garden, which appeared after the erection of new buildings in the middle of the XIX century.
• The courtyard of the Royal Chambers itself speaks of its location. It was built under Ludwig I at the beginning of the 19th century.
• The kitchen yard was located near the palace kitchens, instead of which there is now a cashier's building.

If you can see what's happening in Munich in two days, it's the palace courtyards, it takes a lot longer to inspect the halls and royal chambers.

Treasury and Antiquarium

The Wittelsbach family nest gives modern people the opportunity to learn the basic architectural and artistic styles that the Munich residence unites. The testimonies of tourists say that, moving from the building to the building, from the hall to the hall, one can observe how the representatives of the royal family used art and architecture to express their greatness and power.

In the Treasury you can see luxury items and jewels of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Crowns of representatives of different generations, jewelry, a work of art, church golden utensils - all this opens today the people of Munich residence. Opening hours of the Treasury, as well as the entire residence, are daily from 9:00 to 18:00.

The antiquary, which was under Albrecht IV, by order of which it was built by a hall for antique sculptures, was later rebuilt into a Banquet. This is how he appears today before travelers.

The Imperial Hall and the Ancestors Gallery

Kings and emperors at all times loved lavish celebrations and solemn events. The hall for such ceremonies was built under Maximilian I and appears before the guests of the palace in all its glory painted walls and ceiling.

The Gallery of Ancestors looks no less impressive. Here are collected portraits of all 121 representatives of the Wittelsbach family, beginning with Charlemagne, from which this branch began. Karl Albrecht, who created this monument to his ancestors, showed Europe 18th century and immortalized the history of dynastic ties of a kind with the people of other royal families.

An indelible impression in memory is left by noble persons, who are looking at these people from the height of their position to modern people.

Halls of the complex

If you decide what to look for in Germany, you should pay attention to the halls of the royal residence of the Wittelsbachs. Such luxury can be seen in Versailles, and it is surprising that they were all used for their intended purpose.

There were halls for audiences, separate for balls or celebrations. Halls for meetings, bedchambers, guest rooms and archbishops are all trimmed with either gold or valuable tree species with luxury unique to kings.

Perhaps the only room that was not used for its intended purpose is the State Bedroom. It was built and luxuriously retouched in French, but not a single Bavarian king ever slept in it. Rather, it was a demonstration of the wealth of a famous family, but the habit of the French king to go to bed and wake up in the presence of the court modest Bavarian kings never took.

Expositions in the residence

In addition to the inspection of luxurious halls, parks, gardens and courtyards, guests of the complex can visit permanent expositions. The brightest among them are:

• The collection of porcelain is perhaps the most extensive of all, since it contains products of not only German production, but also masters of France, Japan and China. Services of 700 items or individual plates, paintings on porcelain or figurines - all this amazes with a variety of colors, graceful shapes and fragile beauty.

• No less famous is the silver exposition of the Wittelsbach family. Here are collected as objects of everyday life and use of this metal, and works of art. It has more than 3,500 items and is the largest in Europe.
• The Museum of Coins and Medallions is also considered the largest in the Old World. It exhibits 300,000 exhibits, from antiquity to the twentieth century.

This is not all the expositions that the guests expect in their halls. As mentioned above, it takes a long time to study the entire palace complex, but it will not be wasted.

Residence today

Currently, the Munich residence welcomes guests year-round, but the best time to visit is summer.

The cost of the ticket for an adult costs 7 euros, a group excursion, as a rule, is cheaper.