Nymphenburg Palace

Begun in 1664 as a summer residence and extended into a long front of pavilions linked by galleries, Nymphenburg stretches further across its park than most European palaces of its type. Ludwig I commissioned the Gallery of Beauties, thirty-six portraits of women he considered beautiful, painted by Joseph Karl Stieler between 1827 and 1850, ranging from aristocrats to a shoemaker's daughter and the dancer Lola Montez. In the park stand four garden pavilions, of which the Amalienburg is a small hunting lodge whose mirrored Hall of Mirrors in silver and blue is among the finest rococo interiors in Europe.

History

The palace was commissioned in 1664 by the Elector Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy after the birth of their son Maximilian II Emanuel, to designs by Agostino Barelli, replaced in 1674 by Enrico Zuccalli; the central pavilion was finished in 1675, built of Kelheim limestone. From 1701 Max Emanuel added two pavilions on each side joined by galleries, in 1716 Joseph Effner gave the centre a French Baroque facade, and the court stables followed in 1719; Charles Albert lived here as Holy Roman Emperor and died here in 1745, in 1747 Max III Joseph founded the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, and in 1792 Charles Theodore opened the park to the public. In 1826 Leo von Klenze reworked the roofline for Ludwig I, and King Max I Joseph died here in 1825 (Wikipedia, Nymphenburg Palace).

What's there

• The Gallery of Beauties - thirty-six portraits commissioned by Ludwig I.
• The Amalienburg - a rococo hunting lodge with a silvered mirror hall.
• The park - two hundred hectares of canals, lawns and pavilions.
• The porcelain factory - the Nymphenburg manufactory still on the estate.

When to go

April to October for the park and pavilions, which close for winter while the main palace stays open. The park is free and used by locals year-round.

Before you go

The garden pavilions close from roughly mid-October to Easter. The park is very large with long walks between buildings. Separate tickets apply to different parts.

Nearby

Central Munich lies east; the Olympiapark is northeast.

Key facts