Paved plaza between elegant palaces, with a bronze statue of Maximilian I & a busy Christmas market. The Wittelsbachs are an inseparable part of Munich. Their dukes, electors, and kings shaped Bavaria over many centuries. In Munich, they left behind magnificent buildings such as the Residence, the Old Court, and the palaces of Nymphenburg and Schleißheim.
The Wittelsbacherplatz in the heart of Munich is also surrounded by impressive structures: On the eastern side stands the Odeon, a former concert hall now housing the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior. On the western side lies the Palais Arco-Zinneberg, designed by the architect Leo von Klenze. In the northern part of Wittelsbacherplatz, the leadership of the Siemens corporation resides in the Palais Ludwig Ferdinand. Notable buildings also include the Palais Leuchtenberg and the block housing the famous Café Luitpold, which was destroyed during the Second World War and later rebuilt in a simplified form as the Palmengarten.
Wittelsbacherplatz was created at the beginning of the 19th century when the Brienner Straße was transformed into a grand boulevard. At its center stands a bronze equestrian monument erected in 1820, portraying Elector Maximilian I. Surrounding it, there are often artistic and cultural events—such as when the sculpture is veiled in foil for charitable purposes or when a bookshelf and colorful cushions invite people to linger.
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