Munich Residence (Residenz)
Germany's largest city palace began as a fine — the citizens of Munich were forced to build it in 1385 after a failed uprising against their duke.
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Ten courtyards and 130 rooms trace the Wittelsbach rulers from a moat-ringed medieval fortress to a full royal complex. The displays pull from the former royal collections, and the building itself ranges from Gothic foundation walls to a theatre rebuilt after World War II damage.
What to look for
- The Cuvilliés Theatre inside the Festsaalbau wing, rebuilt after World War II damage
- The Herkulessaal (Hercules Hall), which today serves as the main concert venue for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
- The Byzantine Court Church of All Saints (Allerheiligen-Hofkirche) on the east side, facing the Marstall — the former royal stables and riding school
The complex spreads across three main sections; approach from Max-Joseph-Platz to enter via the Königsbau.
Munich Residence (Residenz) is one of 37 sights worth the detour in Munich, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Munich pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Munich
- Allianz ArenaThe world's first stadium with a full color-changing exterior — 75,000 seats wrapped in inflated ETFE plastic panels that can change color across the entire facade.
- Deutsches Museum125,000 objects across 50 fields of science and technology — all on a former coal island in the Isar.
- Nymphenburg PalaceAt 632 metres across, this Baroque summer palace is wider than Versailles — and it started as a birth announcement.
- Alte PinakothekThe gallery that taught Europe how to build a museum — then filled it with five centuries of Old Masters.
- FrauenkircheThe twin towers top out at just over 98 meters — Munich caps the entire city at 99 m, so nothing can overtake them on the skyline.
- Englischer GartenA Massachusetts-born American Loyalist, fleeing Britain after the Revolution, drew up plans for what became one of the world's largest urban parks.