Visit the first castle of the Wittelsbach dynasty in Munich
The Imperial Castle in Munich: Multimedia exhibition on a historic site
The Imperial Castle at the Alter Hof was the first castle of the Wittelsbach dynasty in Munich and a precursor to the Munich Residence. During the Middle Ages, the House of Wittelsbach and their court society moved from place to place within their territory to state their power. This Imperial Castle is the oldest residence of the ducal family in Munich.
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Why the Imperial Castle in Munich is worth a visit:
As the first residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty in Munich, the Imperial Castle had great significance for the city's development.
What to see? The permanent exhibition "Münchner Kaiserburg – Alter Hof" provides information about the city's oldest seat of power, its most prominent resident, Emperor King Ludwig of Bavaria, and the history of Munich. Historical evidence meets multimedia technology: In addition to exhibits, the history of the site comes to life with interactive stations and two vivid films.
What's special? The late Gothic vaulted hall gives the exhibition a unique atmosphere. Also: The legend of the "Affenturm" (Monkey Tower) in the Alter Hof of the Imperial Castle is known in the whole city and directs many visitors of Munich to this site.
Imperial Castle in Munich: The most important information at a glance
- Location: Near Marienplatz
- Museum category: Culture
- Children's program: A hidden object game, a large puzzle, and wooden building blocks, as well as some children's specials for the city's founding festival every year in June
- Recommended duration of stay: about 30-45 minutes (plan another 15-30 minutes to visit the Infopoint Museums & Castles in Bavaria on the site)
- Directions: S-Bahn or U3/U6 to Marienplatz
- Parking: Parking garage at the Staatsoper
Permanent exhibition on the historic building close to the Marienplatz
The most famous resident of the Imperial Castle in Munich was the Emperor King Ludwig of Bavaria, who ruled in the first half of the 14th century. Today, a permanent multimedia exhibition tells his story and the history of Munich in the late Gothic vaulted hall. Make sure to see the following things:
- Every full hour, a seven-minute film gives exciting insights into the life of King Ludwig IV and the various stages of the Alter Hof: "Ludwig of Bavaria" was a member of the House of Wittelsbach - the ducal and later royal ruling line in Bavaria. He brought outstanding scholars and legal experts to his court society, who established the foundations for the legal system and administrative structures here.
- Another twelve-minute film provides deeper insights into the influence of the Wittelsbach dynasty on the development of Munich from its beginnings to the 20th century.
- The oldest building element of the castle is its wall, dating back to around 1200. It was filled with Isar pebbles and part of it is still visible here today.
- Some archaeological finds from the Alter Hof and replicas of coins and medals with Munich's coat of arms and city motifs are also on display.
- Interactive stations allow you to dive deeper: There are listening stations and displays that reconstruct architectural periods or explore King Ludwig’s life and work.
The Imperial Castle in Munich in the Alter Hof
Guided tours, formats, and children's programs
- Multimedia show: Every full hour, a 7-minute multimedia show provides you with exciting details (last show at 5 pm - English on request).
- The film "Munich City History on Continuous Loop" can be started at any time (duration: 12 minutes, in German or English).
- A hidden objects game, a large puzzle, and wooden building blocks at the Alter Hof provide a creative introduction to Bavarian history for children.
- City Founding Festival: Once a year, on the occasion of the Munich "Stadtgründungsfest", the museum offers an official children's program, numerous workstations and a historical crime game.
Admission prices
Admission to the Munich Imperial Castle is free of charge.
Restaurants
You can find plenty of restaurants within walking distance, including former court suppliers such as Dallmayr, Hofpfisterei, and Hofbräuhaus.
Accessibility and offers for people with disabilities
The exhibition at the Alte Hof is accessible by a stairlift. The outdoor elevator is located coming from the Burgstraße and is operated by employees with a key: please ring the bell at the information point "Alter Hof 1".
- The nearest disabled parking spaces are located at Burgstraße 3.
- A wheelchair-accessible toilet is located on the mezzanine floor of the infopoint (accessible with a Euro WC key).
- Special guided tour formats: audio stations
History and architecture
In addition to the Peterskirche and Frauenkirche, the Alter Hof belongs to the medieval core of the old town and was built around 1200 within the first city wall. It was significantly expanded, especially in the 15th century, when it was extended and received the polygonal wooden bay window and the diamond-shaped wall painting. The ducal family moved in during the first half of the 16th century. Since then, the courtyard was used as a guesthouse and seat of state authorities. Since the opening of the Infopoint Museums & Castles in Bavaria and the exhibition "Imperial Castle in Munich", parts of the historic building are publicly accessible. Both of them are operated by the State office for non-governmental museums in Bavaria.
Two wings of the Alter Hof are historically preserved, remain state-owned, and have been renovated: the Southern Castle floor and the Western Zwinger floor. The gate tower was shortened in the 19th century and has been reconstructed in the 1960s.
The northern and eastern wings of the courtyard have been modernized for commercial and private use.
In cooperation with the cultural department and the museums
This article about Munich's museums is sponsored by the Cultural Department of the City of Munich and was conceived in cooperation with the State Agency for Non-State Museums in Bavaria. The content has been coordinated between the participating museums and muenchen.de, the official city portal.
