ODEONSPLATZ

Description

Essentials about Odeonsplatz in brief

Odeonsplatz can probably justifiably be called the most Italian square in Germany. Here lies a loggia in the Florentine style (the Feldherrnhalle), a church in the Italian late Baroque style (the Theatine Church) and a palace in the Neo-Renaissance style modeled on the Palazzo Farnese in Rome (the Palais Leuchtenberg). And as the northern boundary of the pedestrian zone, there is something going on on Odeonsplatz at any time of day – this is probably the best place to experience Munich’s “dolce vita”.

The history of Odeonsplatz

As part of the defortification of Munich, there were already plans from the end of the 18th century for a central square in place of the Schwabinger Tor (Schwabing Gate), which was intended to make the driveway from the Residenz into Fürstenweg to Nymphenburg Palace (today’s Brienner Strasse) more appealing. The layout in its present form can be traced back to the special commitment of King Ludwig I. In 1816, while still Crown Prince, he commissioned the court architect Leo von Klenze with the overall planning of Ludwigstrasse, which also includes Odeonsplatz. After the pedestrian zone was opened in 1972, the southern part of Odeonsplatz became a car-free zone.

The Feldherrnhalle

Probably the best overview of the elongated Odeonsplatz is from the Feldherrnhalle, which is also the southern boundary of the square. Munich residents and tourists like to meet on the steps of the hall to eat ice cream and drink coffee. The Loggia is a replica of the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence and was commissioned by Ludwig I in 1844 to honor the Bavarian army. Two large marble lions stand guard at the stairs. Inside the Feldherrnhalle, bronze statues of the Bavarian army commanders Tilly and Wrede and the Bavarian Army Monument are enthroned.

The Theatine Church

On the west side of Odeonsplatz stands the Theatine Church, built in the late 17th century in the style of the Italian late Baroque. The church catches one’s eye especially because of its unusual bright yellow facade. Besides the two large towers and the mighty dome, the Theatine Church also impresses with its richly decorated interior.

The Bazargebäude

On the east side of the square is the elongated so-called “Bazar building”. The 175 long row of stores was built at the beginning of the 19th century and houses a very special gastronomic institution in Munich: Café Tambosi. Opened in 1775 as a kiosk serving coffee, chocolate and lemonade, it is Munich’s oldest café and still a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike.

The Odeon

Opposite the Bazar building on the west side is the namesake of Odeonsplatz: the so-called “Odeon”. This is a concert hall and ballroom from the early 19th century. In order to make its function unrecognizable from the outside, the Odeon was designed as a mirror image of Palais Leuchtenberg, which is located directly next to it. Today, however, music and dance are no longer performed in the Odeon. After the Second World War, the building was converted into the headquarters of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior.

The Palais Leuchtenberg

The neighboring Palais Leuchtenberg, incidentally the largest palace in Munich, is also used for administrative purposes today. It is the seat of the Bavarian State Ministry of Finance, Regional Development and Home Affairs. Between the Odeon and Palais Leuchtenberg stands an equestrian statue of King Ludwig I, to whom this beautiful square is indebted.