Munich – Residence of the Wittelsbachs

The first Wittelsbach duke to the throne in Bavaria was named Otto, but the hit rate is still quite high if you answer the question "What was the name of the Bavarian ruler?" in Munich with Max or Ludwig! In fact, over 700 years ago, a Ludwig with the dubious nickname "the Strict" laid the foundation for what would later become the royal seat of Munich when he had a medieval fortress built here. Today, this fortress is known as the "Alter Hof" (Old Court) and as the annual backdrop for the Franconian Wine Festival—or as the Imperial Castle, because it was here that Ludwig "the Bavarian" ruled in the first half of the 14th century. As emperor, he placed our city at the center of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.

In the 14th century, the ruling family was forced to move to the so-called Neuveste, which is considered the initial building for today's residence. A conglomerate of diverse architectural styles, which can be admired from the outside in the quiet courtyards, it bears witness to the different eras that shaped the Wittelsbach reign.

In the late Renaissance of the 16th century, devout dukes defended the Catholic faith, thereby elevating their lands to the status of an electorate. Subsequent generations lived in Baroque splendor, and at the height of absolutism, the Bavarian Elector Karl Albrecht learned that pride, even for the Wittelsbachs, comes before a fall! The Enlightenment and the French Revolution led to the opening of the court garden, which offers us particularly beautiful views of the palace.

Then, in 1806, came the great bombshell: Bavaria was elevated to a kingdom by Napoleon's grace and acquired its present-day borders. Naturally, the monarch didn't hold back, building grand theaters and opulent boulevards, and sprucing up the Residence with neoclassical facades. If dreams soared even higher, as with the legendary King Ludwig II, one might even indulge in a palm-filled winter garden on the palace roof – but where is it today? Perhaps Prince Regent Luitpold, who assumed regency after the death of the fairytale king to shape the "good old days" in Munich, had something to do with it? Of course, only hand-picked businesspeople could guarantee appropriate quality in both cuisine and furnishings, which is why they wanted to rely exclusively on the Royal Bavarian Court Purveyors.

But the Bavarian ruling house also fell after more than 700 years of rule when Kurt Eisner proclaimed the Free State of Bavaria in the revolutionary year of 1918. However, the present-day state capital is still marked by the legacy of the royal era.