Altstadt Legends and Lore

The Frauenkirche is defined by its two rounded copper onion domes, which rise above the Munich skyline and stand nearly three hundred feet tall. Duke Sigismund commissioned the brick cathedral in fourteen sixty-eight, tasking architect…

The Wurmeck stands at the intersection of Residenzstrasse and Theatinerstrasse, marked by the bronze statue of the Madonna mounted high on the corner of the building. This spot earned its name in the fourteenth century from the Wurm…

The Fischbrunnen features a bronze basin flanked by three small figures of butchers’ apprentices leaping into the water. This fountain stands directly in front of the Munich Town Hall at Marienplatz. Historically, the city’s fishmongers…

St. Peter's Church features a heavy, bronze-colored spire that anchors the oldest parish in Munich. Locals call it the Alter Peter, and its foundation stone dates back to the twelfth century. During the second world war, bombs reduced the…

A bronze Juliet Capulet stands inside a small niche in the wall of the Old Town Hall. She holds a single rose, and her right breast is polished to a bright, golden shine by the hands of countless tourists. The statue is a gift from Verona,…

The Alter Hof features a sharp, pointed gable and a dry moat that separates it from the bustling streets of Munich. This complex served as the first residence for the Wittelsbach dukes in the thirteenth century. Ludwig the Bavarian made it…

The bronze lion stands guard in front of the Residenz, one of four identical beasts cast in eighteen thirty-four. Locals often stop to rub the shield held by the lion, as a long-standing tradition promises that this gesture brings good…