Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [253]
The enclosed Grotto Court, one of the first places you’ll see when you enter, features the wonderful Perseusbrunnen (Perseus Fountain). Next door is the famous Antiquarium, a lavishly ornamented barrel vault, smothered in frescoes and built to house the Wittelsbachs’ huge antique collection. Other highlights include the Ancestral Gallery, with portraits of the rulers of Bavaria including the great conqueror Charlemagne; the Schlachtensäle (Battle Halls); the Porcelain Chambers, containing 19th-century porcelain from Berlin, Meissen and Nymphenburg; and the Asian Collections, with precious Chinese and Japanese porcelain, tapestries and jewellery.
Designed by Belgian architect François Cuvilliés and recently renovated, the Cuvilliés-Theater (Map; 2-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun Apr–mid-Oct, 2-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun mid-Oct–Mar) is one of Europe’s finest rococo stages. The original theatre building was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1944, but the original finely carved fittings and furnishings, which had been dismantled and kept in a safe place during WWII, witnessed the premiere of Mozart’s opera Idomeneo.
Schatzkammer der Residenz
The Residenzmuseum entrance also leads to the Schatzkammer der Residenz (Residence Treasury; Map; 290 671; enter from Max-Joseph-Platz 3; adult/concession/under 18yr with parents €6/5/free; 9am-6pm Apr–mid-Oct, 10am-5pm mid-Oct–Mar). It exhibits an Aladdin’s cave of baubles and precious objects. Included among the mind-boggling treasures are portable altars, the pearl-studded golden cross of Queen Gisela of Hungary, the Bavarian crown jewels, and ‘exotic handicrafts’ from Turkey, Iran, Mexico and India.
Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst
German explorers of the Near East brought back treasures that made their way into the Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst (Egyptian Art Museum; Map; 298 546; enter from Hofgartenstrasse 1; adult/concession €6/4; 9am-5pm Tue-Fri, also 5-9pm Tue, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun). The excellent collection dates from the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms (2670–1075 BC).
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Odeonsplatz to Karlsplatz
The elongated square called Odeonsplatz (Map) was the site of the so-called Beer Hall Putsch (revolt) by the Nazis in 1923, which landed Hitler in jail. At its southern end looms the Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshals’ Hall). The statues under its Italian-style arches are of pre-20th-century military heroes Johann von Tilly and Carl Philipp von Wrede, both cast from the copper of melted-down cannon.
The imposing baroque church swelling up on the west side is the Theatinerkirche St Kajetan (Map; Theatinerstrasse 22), built in the 17th century to commemorate the birth of Prince Max Emanuel. Its massive twin towers flanking a giant cupola are a landmark of Munich’s skyline. Inside, the intensely ornate high dome stands above the Fürstengruft (royal crypt), containing the remains of Wittelsbach dynasty members. Opposite and a bit to the north, a neoclassical gate leads the way to the former Hofgarten (Royal Gardens).
On Theatinerstrasse you’ll find the entrance to the Fünf Höfe (Map), a fashionable shopping mall embracing five courtyards. The sleek glass-and-steel passages are lined with upscale designers, cafes and gift shops. The building also houses the Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung ( 224 412; www.hypo-kunsthalle.de; Theatinerstrasse 8; 10am-8pm), a modern gallery space renowned for quality cross-genre exhibits.
Munich’s main shopping drag is Kaufinger Strasse, which becomes Neuhauser Strasse in the west. Along it, the Michaelskirche (St Michael’s Church; Map) is one of the city centre’s most spectacular churches. The ceiling is a 20m-wide barrel-vaulted expanse with no supporting columns, thus creating