Palaces > Munich > Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria

Object description:

Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria

Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria – Munich

King Ludwig I had the Hall of Fame built from 1843 to 1853 above the Theresienwiese ‘to acknowledge fame and service to Bavaria’. The architect Leo von Klenze based the three-winged columned hall on ancient colossal altars. It contained the busts of Bavarian personalities whom the king felt had rendered outstanding service to their country, science and art. The Hall of Fame was badly damaged during the Second World War and rebuilt from 1965 to 1972.

In 1966, the Council of Ministers of the Free State of Bavaria decided not only to preserve the Hall of Fame as a museum, but also to continue to honour personalities from Bavaria who had rendered outstanding services to the people and the state by installing their busts. Since the restoration of the Hall of Fame, a total of 31 new busts have been added to the 67 that have been preserved from the 19th century. Among them are four women: the writer Lena Christ, the actress Clara Ziegler, the explorer Therese von Bayern and the mathematician Emmy Noether.

At the time the bronze cast of the Bavaria was considered a technical masterpiece. The bronze figure of the Bavaria in front of the Hall of Fame, a personification of the state, was made from a model by the sculptor Ludwig Schwanthaler. The cast of the 1,560 hundredweight bronze was completed in 1850. Ferdinand von Miller, the then director of the royal foundry, was greatly admired by his contemporaries for his achievement. The monumental statue was based on the colossi and cult images of antiquity. With the simple dress and bearskin, Schwanthaler however gave the figure unmistakable Old Germanic characteristics. The Bavaria, the first colossal sculpture of the Modern Age, stands on a pedestal 8.92 metres high and measures a total of 18.52 metres from the feet to the wreath of oak leaves. It is the only large bronze in Germany with an accessible interior. A steep winding staircase leads up through the hollow statue to a viewing platform in the head, where there are two benches with room for six people. Through the various small openings there is an excellent view of the Oktoberfest that takes place every year at the foot of the Bavaria.

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Address

Theresienhöhe 16
80339 München

Opening hours

April-6 October: 9 am-6 pm
last entry: 5.30 pm
open daily

We ask groups to call and announce their visit:
0162 4121726

During the Oktoberfest the Bavaria is open until 8 pm, the Hall of Fame is closed for safety reasons. We ask that school groups visit between 9 and 11 am only during this time.

From 7 October to end of March the Hall of Fame and the Statue of Bavaria are closed.

General information on opening times and admission fees

Guided tours

Admission fees 2024

5 euros regular
4 euros reduced

Children under 18 are admitted free of charge.

General tariff regulations (excerpt)

Annual season tickets/
14-day tickets

Accessibility

Only accessible via staircase

Getting here / parking

Munich
www.bahn.com

'Theresienwiese'

Bus to 'Theresienhöhe'

Car park 'Theresienwiese' (except during the Oktoberfest)

Further information

Administrative office

Verwaltung der
Residenz München
Residenzstraße 1
80333 München
089 29067-1
Fax 089 29067-225
ResidenzMuenchen@ bsv.bayern.de
www.residenz-muenchen.de


 
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