1515

Munich (München) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria, on the banks of River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. The Munich Residenz is the former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs of the House of Wittelsbach in the centre of the city of Munich

The Residenz is the largest city palace in Germany and is today open to visitors for its architecture, room decorations, and displays from the former royal collections.The complex of buildings contains ten courtyards and displays 130 rooms. The three main parts are the Königsbau (near the Max-Joseph-Platz), the Alte Residenz (Old Residenz; towards the Residenzstraße) and the Festsaalbau (towards the Hofgarten).The octagonal Brunnenhof (Fountain Courtyard) served as a place for tournaments before the large Wittelsbach Fountain was erected in the middle of the courtyard in 1610.

Munich Residenz in the 18th century

Max-Joseph-Platz

National Theatre

Brunnenhof (Fountain Courtyard)

Königsbau

National Theatre

Max-Joseph-Platz

Königsbau

Brunnenhof

This palace is where the Wittelsbach family resided for over 500 years and it is a huge complex with a series of buildings that are filled with various displays and other things today.

Entrace of the Munich Residence Prudentia

Entrance gate to the Residenz Odeonsplatz

The street along the entrance of the Western Wing

Patroness of Bavaria Bronze statue of Virgin Mary with child, standing on a crescent moon as the Queen of Heaven

Odeonsplatz Feldherrnhalle and the Munich

Residence

Odeonsplatz Feldherrnhalle and the Munich

Residence

Two monumental lions grace the Feldherrnhalle’s steps. It is said that one is growling at the Residenz and the other is keeping its mouth shut towards the church

Odeonsplatz Feldherrnhalle and the Munich Residence

Count von Tilly (1559-1632)

Feldherrnhalle

Munich

Res

idenc

e

Odeon

splat

z

Hofgart

en

Odeonsplatz Feldherrnhalle and the Munich

ResidenceThe lions were sculpted by Wilhelm Ruemann in 1906

Odeonsplatz Giant bronze lions in front of the Alte Residenz

If you hang around, you’ll see quite a few Münchners instinctively reaching out and giving the nose a slight rub. Supposed to bring good luck! No wonder it shines so bright!

The lion symbol is predominant around Munich and a symbol of the Bavarian monarchy

The octagonal yard called Fountain Courtyard (Brunnenhof) is one of the ten courtyards of the Residenz Palace, former residence of the Bavarian kings

The bronze Wittelsbach Fountain in the middle was erected in 1610

On the four sides of the basin lie four allegorical river gods by Hubert Gerhard (Dutch, 1540s – 1621) symbolizing Bavaria's main rivers: Danube, Isar, Lech and Inn

River god

River god

River god

River god

River god

Statue of Otto I of Wittelsbach (by Hans Krumpper 1570-1634)

Otto I (1117-1183),  in knight’s armor

Otto I (1117-1183) called the

Redhead was the first Bavarian ruler from the House of

Wittelsbach

The fountain is further embellished (Hubert Gerhard) by an outer ring of statues depicting the gods and goddesses

Demeter or Ceres, for the earth

Dem

eter

or C

eres

Hep

hais

tos

or V

ulca

n, fo

r the

fire

Pos

eido

n or

Nep

tune

, for

the

wat

er

Hera or Juno, with a peacock

Hera or Juno

An assortment of putti, grotesque fish, frogs and monsters, all by Hubert Gerhard (Dutch, 1540/50 – 1621) embellished the fountain

In 1984 are the original figures replaced by replicas

OdeonsplatzTheatinerkirche

the state chancellery

The Hofgarten (Court Garden) is located at the northern side of the Residenz. The Hofgarten was initiated by Elector Maximilian I, modeled after the pattern of Italian Renaissance gardens (1613-17). In the center a temple devoted to Diana. On the eastern side the in 1993 erected building of the Bavarian State Chancellery, seat of the Bavarian prime minister

Temple of Diana and allegory of Bavaria

Temple of Diana crowned by a statue of Bavaria created in 1594 by Hubert Gerhard

Munich Residenz Banqueting Hall Wing (The Festsaalbau)

Munich Residenz Banqueting Hall Wing

(The Festsaalbau)

Text & Pictures: InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuhttps://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela

Sound: Montserrat Caballe - Richard Strauss - Befreit; Arabella - Das wahr sehr gut, Mandryka