Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Germany

While in Munich a few years ago, I was able to visit this immense Baroque palace and its vast gardens.  Here is an abriged version of its history, as well as some thoughts on my visit.

Panoramic view of Nymphenburg Palace.

Commissioned by Bavarian Electoral couple Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy to celebrate the birth of their long awaited son and heir, Maximillian Emanuel II.  Construction of this summer residential palace first began in 1664 and initally consisted of only the central cube-shaped pavillion, which is depicted in this copper-plate engraving:

When comparing the above panoramic and copper-engraved images of Nymphenburg, one can't help but notice a bit of a discrepancy in the palace's size.  The heir to the Bavarian throne, Maximilian Emanuel II, is responsible for initiating the massive expansion of the palace, beginning in 1701.  In addition to the architectural expansion of the palace, many renovations have also been conducted.  Perhaps one of the most notable renovations is the 1755-57 transformation of the Great Hall into an extraordinary Rococo style interior complete with extravagant frescoes surrounded by stucco work.  The Great Hall has remained unchanged since 1758, which makes it an authentically Rococo room.

A partial view of the Great Hall in all it's Rococo glory.  Here is an example of one of the frescoes as well as the magnificent plaster work. 

I found Nymphenburg Palace and its grounds overwhelming, which is appropriate given the inherent extravagance of Baroque and Rococo styles.  The palace itself was absolutely amazing and the gardens located behind the palace provided a wonderful experience as well.

When the palace was originally constructed, it was accompanied by a small ornamental garden on its west side.  This small garden has since been consumed by the present 490 acre gardens, which we spent quite a long time exploring during our visit.

The present layout and structure of the gardens was designed by German landscape gardener Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell during the latter half of the eighteenth century in response to the increasing popularity of landscape gardens in Germany.  Von Sckell's designs resulted in the transformation of a geometrically influenced designs into one with more natural elements.  Looking back at my visit, I definitely noticed the contrast between the neatly aligned avenues and canals directly at the back of the palace and the more sweeping, indirect arrangements located in more outlying areas.

A view of one of the canals from a bridge.  This part of the park was secluded and peaceful.

As someone who had not heard of Nymphenburg Palace before my visit there, I was wonderfully surprised to experience such a place right within Munich's city limits.  The palace was an exquisite display of the madness of Baroque and Rococo design from which the gardens provided calm respite.

The palace currently serves as the residence of the head of the House of Wittelsbach (currently Franz, Duke of Bavaria), who the Jacobites recognize as the legitimate heir to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  It is open to the public throughout the year.

View of Nymphenburg and front lawn while approaching the entrance.

Thank you for reading.

More extensive information on Nymphenburg Palace can be found here.

Photo credits:

Nymphenburg panorama: Patrick Huebgen, 2005, public domain, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nymphenburg_vorne_1.jpg

Copper-plate engraving of Nymphenburg: Michael Wening, 1701, public domain, http://eng.archinform.net/projekte/11942.htm
Great Hall: myself, 2005, © all rights reserved.
View of water from bridge: myself, 2005, © all rights reserved.

Nymphenburg, lawn, and flowers: myself, 2005, © all rights reserved.