Royal Munich: Wittelsbach Dynasty Tour

Tour stops

1. 1. Residenz

   🏰 The seat of Bavarian power for four centuries. The Wittelsbachs ruled from here from 1508 until 1918, expanding the place as they went, until it became less a palace than a small walled town of courtyards and wings. The Antiquarium is the room to see: a barrel-vaulted Renaissance hall of 1568, sixty-six metres long, built for the family's antique sculpture and still lined with it. The treasury next door holds a thousand years of crowns and reliquaries.

2. 2. Theatinerkirche (Stiftskirche St. Kajetan)

   ⛪ Italian Baroque, and unmistakable — the yellow facade is one of the fixed points of central Munich. Elector Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy commissioned it in thanks for the birth of an heir, and brought Italian architects north to build it. Inside it is white: stucco worked into every surface, and a dome that carries sound. The Wittelsbach crypt below holds many of the family.

3. 3. Hofgarten

   🌳 A formal Renaissance garden laid out in 1613 for the court, geometric and quiet, with the Temple of Diana at its centre. On most afternoons the arcades along the north side are taken over by tango dancers; it has been happening for years and anyone can join. 🌿 The Bavarian State Chancellery closes the eastern end, built into the ruin of the old army museum. It is the shortest way between the Residenz and the English Garden.

4. 4. Max-Joseph-Platz

   🎭 The square is framed by the National Theatre on one side and the Residenz on the other, with Max Joseph seated in bronze in the middle. He was the first King of Bavaria, and the statue was nearly never cast: he objected to being shown sitting down. 👑 The opera house behind him is where several Wagner premieres took place, Tristan und Isolde and Die Walküre among them. It burned, was rebuilt, was bombed, and was rebuilt again.

5. 5. Cathedral of Our Dear Lady (Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau (Frauenkirche))

   ⛪ The two green onion domes are the fixed point of the Munich skyline — by local ordinance, nothing in the centre may be built taller. The church went up in the 1470s, in brick, remarkably fast for its size. 🕊️ Just inside the entrance is the Teufelstritt, the devil's footprint: a dark mark in the floor, with a story about the devil being tricked into a church he thought had no windows. Stand on it and the columns do line up to hide them.

6. 6. Café Nymphenburger Sekt

   🥂 A glass of Sekt, which is what Germans drink when the occasion calls for bubbles. It is a reasonable pause on a walk that is otherwise mostly palaces and churches. 🍾 If you would rather have the local thing than the celebratory one, Bavaria's answer is a Weissbier, and it is drunk at any hour without comment.

7. 7. Alte Pinakothek

   Alright, so you're checking out Alte Pinakothek? Excellent choice! Think of it as Munich's OG art hangout. It's packed with European masterpieces from the 14th to 18th centuries – seriously, some heavy hitters reside within those walls. The story goes that the Wittelsbach rulers, basically Bavaria's royal family, were massive art collectors. They needed a place to stash (and show off) their treasures, hence, the Alte Pinakothek was born. It opened its doors in 1836, making it one of the oldest art galleries *in the world*. Fun fact: During WWII, the paintings were actually moved to safety in cellars and mines! Talk about protecting your assets. For a killer photo, head to the Rubens hall – the natural light is amazing, and those massive canvases are begging for a wide-angle shot. Entry is usually around €10, but they often have special exhibitions with different pricing, so check their website beforehand. Now go get cultured!

8. 8. Schloss Kaltenberg

   ⚔️ A castle west of Munich, owned by a branch of the Wittelsbach family, who also brew beer there. Its jousting tournament — the Ritterturnier — has run each summer since 1980 and is among the largest medieval festivals in Europe. 🛡️ It is well outside the city, roughly 40 kilometres, so it is a day of its own rather than a stop on a walk. Check the dates before setting out; outside festival season there is not much to see.

Frequently asked questions