A Weekend At The 130-Room Bavarian-Styled Munich Residenz

Explore a Bavarian-Styled Residence in Munich, Germany, Europe.

How long do you think it would take a person to visit 130 rooms in a mansion? How many of us get to step into a place this enormous? We are fortunate that we can today, because Babak is going to show us around the massive 130-room Bavarian-style residence. We will explore Munich Residence, also known as The Residenz. 

The Residenz.

I’ll attempt to answer my trivia question using my logic. I live in a relatively modest, three-room apartment. It would take me just four steps each way to reach the corners of each room. Four steps in less than 30 seconds to be exact, and probably add another 60 seconds if I spot a place that needed fixed. Since I’d be seeing these 130 exquisitely furnished rooms for the first time, I’d say I’d need a heck of a lot more time. So, I’ve decided to put up my tent here. 

Outside the The Residenz.

There is no hurry. You can explore the Residenz at your own pace. We know colossal places such as this can be confusing, so we have included many pictures. If you get lost, follow the picture trail to locate us. Do also note our exploration tips embedded here in green. 😊 

First, let us park our bicycle and get a good look at the exterior. We are so excited. Let's go in.

Parking our bikes at the Residenz.

Next, we need to purchase a ticket. There are tickets for each exhibit section. Make sure you get the right one(s).

Here is ours! 

Ticket to the Bavarian-styled residence

It’s a combo ticket for three large sections: Residenz Museum, Treasury, and Cuvilliés Theatre. Now, we are set to go in. By the way, entrance is free for children under 18 years of age. 

But before we enter, here are a few outdoor shots. 

Sunrise over the Residenz.

Do you think that guy is racing with us to get in?

Hurry! Run! Meet you inside the Residenz.

Munich Residenz.

The Munich Residenz was the former royal palace of the Bavarian Monarchs. It stands today as the largest city palace in Germany, in the centre of Munich’s old town. 

The Residenz is rated as one of the top must-visit spots in Munich by both domestic and international visitors. 

Munich Residenz is open daily, except for on major national holidays. Prior reservation is not required to get into the museum section. So, if you wake up feeling like you want to explore this exquisite palace, your answer is here. No reservations required!

We are outside again. The Residenz.

[*** That’s a tip 😊] Looking at the pictures in this post, I think I’d rather take a day off for this visit. That way, I can enjoy the rooms all to myself, or that’s what I think.

Be sure you have sufficient time on your hands. Our trip today took over five educational hours of exploration. For those who wish to know the history in-depth for each item and room,  be prepared to allocate at least one week. 

The Residenz. Quick get in!

Interestingly, this palace was a small castle surrounded by a moat back in 1385. Over time, the Wittelsbachs, who were the rulers of Bavaria between 1180 and 1918, grew wealthier and more powerful, and so did this castle. Damaged severely during the World War II bombings in 1945, the building today has been tastefully restored to reflect its past glory.  

Babak is showing us around this time. See if you can spot our traveler on site in this post. Hint, you have to look at each photo.  

The Residenz. What you are still outdoors?

If you get a little overwhelmed just hearing about the number of rooms, just wait. There is more. There are ten courtyards within this palace. We will show you a few of them, as well. 

Good, now we are inside the complex, but at the courtyard.

Getting to Munich Residenz.

[*** A tip, awesome! 😊] Did I already mention that the Residenz is at the heart of Munich’s tourist attractions, near Marienplatz? Well, if you are taking the train, hop onto either the U-Bahn or S-Bahn lines to Marienplatz. If you live nearby and want to reduce the carbon effect, you could always take a walk or cycle.

Here are a couple of recommendations for getting to the Residenz.

• S-Bahn(suburban railway) "Marienplatz." 

S-bahn is an abbreviation for the German "Stadtschnellbahn" (meaning "city rapid railway") and was introduced in December 1930 in Berlin.

• U-Bahn (underground) "Marienplatz" or "Odeonsplatz."
• Bus "Odeonsplatz."
• Tram "Nationaltheater."

Bus to Odeonsplatz.

Tea (Coffee) in Royal Elegance.

Hold on, another thing before I forget. Can visitors enjoy their coffee and dine in grand style at the palace, you asked? 

Well, there is no café within the residence complex to get refueled. Instead, why not treat yourself to delicious hot coffee and sweet cake on the way? You showed me your entrance ticket. Oops! I hope you managed to get yourself a cup of coffee before that.

 [*** That’s a life-saver 😊] The residence is located near Munich’s popular tourist centre, Marienplatz. You won’t be disappointed with the many charming cafes around this neighbourhood. If you’d like a drink, remember to pick up your preferred choice before you to start your trip to the exquisite Bavarian treasures. Want to know more about Marienplatz? Explore Seasons Colours , A days walk  in Marienplatz.

Dine in style.

   

[*** That’s another tip 😊] Food and drinks are not allowed inside, but you can take in drinks in plastic bottles up to 0.5l. If you are carrying a delicious sandwich, finish it before you get in.  

Please join us.

Join us for a snack. It's caffè mocha and an apple pie at a quaint café, specialising in good coffee, in Pestalozzistr, called Aroma Kaffe Bar. The cafe is not only a popular coffee joint but also has several vegan options. Jackpot!  The atmosphere is trendy, relaxing and has great staff. I chatted with Juergen earlier, but we were not able to get a picture with him. What a good refuelling point for a long walk afterwards. 

Caffe Mocha at Aroma Kaffe Bar. Babak is onsite,
and that's me from a few years back outside the Residenz.

Exploring the Rooms inside the Munich Residenz.

[*** You are on a tip roll! 😊] What’s that – too many rooms and your feet are aching? Don’t worry. There is a buggy service, and it’s free! We didn’t catch any today – looks like everyone is in the mood for exploring by foot.

Inside the Bavarian Palace.

Whether you are on a buggy or walking, do look up to see the awesome artwork on the ceiling.

A beautiful ceiling inside the Bavarian Palace.

[*** Got that? 😊] The palace is enormous and has countless exhibits of impressive jewelry, art, furniture, and tapestries. It is easy to lose your way in the maze of interconnected rooms while you admire these exhibits. Make sure you have a floor plan in hand. We have ours.

Let's plan.

[*** Don’t miss this tip 😊] The stunning collections from the past capture the history well. To understand the impressive collections in each room, pick up an audio guide at the entrance. An audio guide is a device similar to a phone, and you can set it to any of the language options provided.  The guide helps you  understand the historic details related to a room and exhibits there. The best part is it’s free. 

Below is one of the three Charlotte Rooms. No matter how comfortable those chairs look, these are not for us to sit on.

See, but no touching!

What are Some of the Highlights We Captured During the Visit?

There is a lot to see at the palace, and you’d agree by just looking at these pictures. 

Lovely artwork everywhere.

The largest and one of the first few rooms you’d see is the Hall of Antiquities (Antiquarium). It was built between 1568 and 1571 to house the antique collection of  Duke Albert V, the Duke of Bavaria. Later, it was remodeled to a banquet hall. Did you notice the magnificent paintings in the two pictures at the Antiquarium?

Awesome sight, I am glued to this spot.

Below is a royal apartment. My thoughts transport me to Goldilocks. ‘Who’s sleeping on my bed?’

Goldilocks says its time to rest.

Here is more from the collection, showing some delicate figurines on display.

Delicate figurine.

Look up again to see beautiful stained window panels. 

Look up, but don't strain your neck.

The Wittelsbach family collected exquisite art and jewelry. We can see some of this fine collection at the Treasury.

Some of the exquisite jewelry.

[*** That’s another excellent tip 😊] If you love classical performances, you also can opt to see a live performance at the palace chapel. Do check out the concert tickets.  

What a beautiful walkway.

There are many lovely walkways and corridors along the way. Make sure you know which wing you are in. 

And, more walkways in the Residenz.

[*** Fabulous, keep the tips coming 😊] Did I already mention that we spent over five hours at the residence?  We highly recommend this visit for those who love art, culture, and history. It may be a bit overwhelming for young children, but sometimes kids do surprise you. Even if you are not a history major, it is still a fabulous place to spend a couple of hours. Just look at those lovely paintings!

Paintings on display.

[*** Great, there is more coming 😊] Take short breaks when you need to. Do you still have your water bottle? It comes in handy, right? Again, the seats below are not for the public. I got you there!

So, tired after exploring 130 rooms. It's time to rest.

What, you have a history-overload bug? Need some fresh air to relax? Let’s go out for a short while. We are at the Hofgarten or Court Garden, located on the northern side of the Residenz. You can sit on the grass to rest and to admire the view, just like this visitor here.

Happy to see the sun at Hofgarten.

Did you get all our tips and count the number? Here is a hint: there are ten embedded within this article. 

And, if you had turned your step counter on, I am sure you’d be impressed with the total number you have made for this trip. 

Did you keep track of your step count?

We lost count of the number of rooms and time while tracing the footsteps of the Bavarian rulers in the palace. Luckily, each room is uniquely numbered, so we could find our way around. It was a memorable trip for learning this: counting the steps and the stars to ReachingDelphi. Enjoy the treasures along the way. 

A memorable trip to Munich Residenz.

Traveller on location : Babak. Danke schön Babak for the pictures and taking us on a tour of the Residenz. (Virtual traveller, me 😎 )

References: 
https://www.residenz-muenchen.de/englisch/residenc/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Residenz