Munich Attractions

Venue: Nymphenburg Palace    When: Daily

Situated in the middle of one of Munich's most beautiful parks and surrounded by a Versailles-style garden lies the impressive Nymphenburg Palace. This former summer residence of Bavaria's ruling class is one of Munich's most visited attractions.

The Baroque palace features a whole range of stunning interior designs, including the massive Steinerne Saal, or stone hall, with ceiling frescoes by Johann Baptist Zimmermann. Famous rooms include the birthplace of King Ludwig I, as well as the Schoenheitsgallerie, or beauty gallery, which King Ludwig I had specially built for him.

Overjoyed by the birth of his son in 1664, King Ferdinand Maria had the central section built for his wife in the style of an Italian villa. Around 1700, his son Max Emanuel commissioned Enrico Zuccali and Antonio Viscardi to extend the castle by adding galleries and pavilions, and in 1715 Josef Effner designed the pilasters, arched windows and busts that now dominate the exterior today. A few years later the south section was added to serve as the court stables and as a counterpart the orangerie was added to the north.

Tour the palace and its varied rooms with one of the audio guides available in German, English or Italian, before enjoying a walk through the surrounding greenery and an impressive view of the palace from the outside.