Munich Attractions

Venue: Frauenkirche    When: Daily

Munich's Frauenkirche, with its two distinctive towers, is the city's landmark and well-known across Europe and throughout the world.

Herzog Sigismund commissioned Jörg von Halsbach to build the cathedral, and laid the foundation stone in 1468. Construction of the two towers, which are both almost 100 metres high, was completed in 1488. However, the two round domes at the top of each tower, which are known as the Welschen Hauben, were not built until 1525.

The cathedral suffered heavy damage during the Second World War, when the arches collapsed and the church itself was looted. A major restoration programme was initiated and renovation completed in stages, the last in 1994.

The interior is just as spectacular as the exterior, with a late Gothic nave and the legendary Teufelstritt, or Devil's Footstep, at the entrance. The burial place of the Wittelsbacher dynasty, an important noble family in Bavaria during the Reformation, can also be found here. The church has room for around 20,000 people and Roman Catholic services are held regularly.