A Walking Tour of Famous Architecture in Munich

Munich is a city that works best when you walk around it. It has a pedestrian-only area in the middle and grand roads with neoclassical buildings. We’ve made a list of the best places to visit in Germany’s third largest city. You’ll have to walk a long way to get to all of these, so if you need to, take the U-Bahn for a few stops. We won’t tell!

Table of Contents

Asam Church

Church

This tiny chapel is only 22 by 8 meters, but it is full of statues and marble work with a lot of detail. From 1733 to 1746, the Asam brothers built it as their own chapel. From their house next door, they could even see the altar. Behind those wooden doors on Sendlingerstraße, hidden between buildings, is one of the most important Late Baroque buildings in Southern Germany. By building it, the brothers hoped to be saved, and the church’s interior shows this. The brightest part of the church is the top, which represents salvation in heaven, while the pews are mostly dark and represent salvation on earth.

A Walking Tour of Famous Architecture in Munich — Asam Church

Marienplatz

Building, Concert Hall, Landmark for Architecture

Since 1158, when it was used for markets and even tournaments, this square has been the center of the city. Today, it’s best known for the Christmas markets that start three weeks before Christmas. In terms of architecture, the Neues Rathaus, which is 9159 m2 and has more than 400 rooms, is the most important building on Marienplatz. Georg von Hauberrisser made it. He won a contest to make the new town hall for the city. Keep an eye on the time. One of its most famous features is the elaborate Glockenspiel cuckoo clock, where a carousel of figures dances at 11AM, 12PM, and 5PM.

Feldherrnhalle

Around Odeonzplatz, there are a lot of interesting buildings to look at. King Ludwig I had the Feldherrnhalle, also called the Field Marshall’s Hall, built between 1841 and 1844 to honor his army. The lions were added in 1906, and the sculpture in the middle was added in 1882 to celebrate the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Under the Nazis, the monument took on a different role. It was the site of the Beer Hall Putsch, which put Hitler in jail and killed many of his supporters. When he got power, he turned the Feldherrnhalle into a memorial for the 16 Nazi party members who had died.

Theatinerkirche

Church

The towers of the Theatinerkirche, which are yellow and stand 66 meters tall, are right next to the Feldherrnhalle. A Bavarian nobleman built this Catholic church in the 1700s as a thank you for the birth of a long-awaited heir to the throne. Agostino Barelli, an Italian architect, gave it a Mediterranean feel with its high-Baroque style, ornate interiors, and yellow Rococo exterior. Inside, the stucco work and sculptures make the dome, which is 71 meters high, look even more beautiful.

Residenz

The famous Residenz is right next to the Theaterkirche. In 1385, it was just a small castle, but later rulers kept adding to it, turning it into a grand palace with gardens. Today, it is a huge complex with museums and exhibits about the history of Bavaria. It is also the site of classical concerts and music competitions. It’s open every day until 17:00 or 18:00, depending on the season, but you can take your time wandering through the small public garden.

Ludwigstraße & Leopoldstraße

University

This street, which starts at Odeonsplatz, is a mini-tour in and of itself. Leo von Klenze built the buildings between 1816 and 1852 in the same Italian Renaissance style. He even lived on the street, which you can still see in Wittelsbacherplatz. Many of the buildings belong to the Ludwig-Maximilians University, but you can also find one of the old city gates here. Siegestor is 21 meters high and 24 meters wide. It was badly damaged during World War II, but it was partially rebuilt and re-dedicated to peace.

Königsplatz

Building, Old Place of Interest

This square is now the center of Munich’s cultural life. Many of the city’s 80 museums are located here. It has a neoclassical look because architect Karl von Fischer based it on the Acropolis in Athens. During the Third Reich, though, it turned into a place where Nazis could get together. The bodies of the 16 Nazis who died in the Beer Hall Putsch were also put in two “temples.” Both temples were destroyed by US troops, but their bases can still be seen today. After the war, Konigsplatz was briefly used as a parking lot to hide its Nazi past. Today, it is back in use as the museum quarter.

Justizpalast

Building

As the name suggests, the Bavarian Department of Justice and District Court I are located in this huge neo-Baroque building near the central train station. It was finished in 1897 by the architect Friedrich von Thiersch. In the middle, there is a 67-foot-high glass dome. The most famous thing about Justizpalast, though, is that it decided the fate of the student resistance group White Rose. The room where the decision was made, 253, is now a memorial with a small German exhibition. You can get in for free, and there are sometimes shows about justice in the lobby.

Topic: A Walking Tour of Famous Architecture in Munich

Become a member of Our Community on Facebook “Amazing Germany Group”. A place where members open up to one another, share their stories, travel photos, and experience a different way to travel Germany – together.