Schloss Nymphenburg
The majestic palace and its opulent gardens extend approximately 5 kilometres to the north-west of the Altstadt. Constructed in 1664 as a house for Electress Adelaide of Savoy, the majestic structure underwent century-long extensions to become the summer palace of the royal family. The leader of the erstwhile royal Wittelsbach dynasty, Franz Duke of Bavaria, still has an apartment here.
The main palace building is made up of two wings with creaky parquet floors and luxurious historical chambers, plus a big villa. The Schönheitengalerie, located in Queen Caroline’s former apartments, is the highlight of the entire Schloss and opens right at the start of the self-guided tour. About 38 lovely female portraits selected by King Ludwig I, who was a great admirer, gleam charmingly from the walls. The most well-known picture features the shoemaker’s daughter, Helene Sedlmayr, dressed in an opulent gown that the king gifted her for the occasion. Along with English beauty Lady Jane Erskine and 19th-century gossip columnist Lady Jane Ellenborough, you’ll also find Ludwig’s lovely but scandalous mistress, Lola Montez.
The King’s Chamber, dazzling with three-dimensional ceiling frescoes, and the Queen’s Bedroom, which still holds the sleigh bed Ludwig II was born on, are located further along the tour path.
The Marstallmuseum, which houses royal carriages and riding apparel, is located within the main structure as well. This includes Ludwig II’s rococo sleigh, reminiscent of a fairy tale, which he cleverly outfitted with oil lamps for his insane nighttime excursions. The largest collection of porcelain in the world, created by the renowned Nymphenburger Manufaktur, is located upstairs. Alternatively referred to as the Sammlung Bäuml, it showcases the complete range of products from the company’s establishment in 1747 until 1930.
The expansive palace grounds situated behind Schloss Nymphenburg are a popular destination for strolling, jogging, or spending a peaceful afternoon among both Münchners and visitors. Its stately English layout is complemented by water elements such as a sizable lake, a cascade, and a canal that’s great for ice skating and ice curling in the winter and for feeding swans.
The Amalienburg, the park’s main mistake, is a little hunting lodge covered with lavish crystal and gold ornamentation. Don’t miss the breathtaking Spiegelsaal or hall of mirrors. Built as a Chinese tea house in the early 1700s, the two-story Pagodenburg is covered with ceramic tiles that feature floral motifs, people, and landscapes. With its original heating system remaining in place, the Brandenburg is a sauna and bathing house. In the end, the Magdalenenklause was constructed in the manner of a faux-ruined hermitage.