Visiting the Munich churches is sensational, and Munich also offers many other attractions. But let’s concentrate on the churches in Munich.
Restaurants, bars, sports buildings, carnivals, breweries and other establishments can also be seen in the city. It is known that I am an atheist. Nonetheless, I always enjoyed going to churches, no matter where I was. In my humble opinion, the churches in Munich are very important in German history.
The founding fathers and the style of the Theatinerkirche
The Theatinerkirche is located in the south of Germany in Munich. It is certainly one of the most famous churches in Munich.
It always conveys a special feeling as soon as you take the first step into it. Whether you are a believer or not, in the end we are all the same.
And that’s why I will always be happy to visit these sacred buildings, especially in Munich.
The construction of this Catholic church lasted from 1663 to 1690, almost a full three decades. In 1662 the long-awaited heir to the Bavarian crown, Prince Max Emanuel, is born. In his honor the founders of the church, Henriette Adelaide von Savoyen and Ferdinand Maria, founded the church.
This church is also known as the Dominican Monastery of St. Cajetan as it is now administered by the Dominicans.
The first architect whose idea was realized is the Italian architect Agostino Barelli. Barelli was a master of Baroque architecture. This church, too, has its own style.
As I know, he was inspired by Sant’Andrea Della Valle in Rome.
The Theatinerkirche has a 71 meter high dome and two 66 meter high towers, which were not originally planned. They were later added by Enrico Zuccalli, successor to the architect Barelli.
This building is almost 16 meters wide and 72 meters long. I am convinced that you will be amazed when you visit it.
Do you know why this church is so important in Munich?
This is because the colors of the building became a symbol of the city known around the world after it was built. Its Mediterranean appearance and its yellow coloring have strongly influenced and shaped the southern German baroque architecture. That influence has never ceased to be present.
When you visit this church for the first time, these colors will not let go of your thoughts for a long time. That’s how amazing they are!
And that’s why this church is so special.
History of the Theatinerkirche
Many places worth seeing in Munich have a great historical background and a long tradition. This is also the case with the churches in Munich.
This church has built a solid reputation throughout history. That reputation only went uphill, but unfortunately that changed in the late 18th century.
During this time, an increasing decline in the religious order and a stagnation of the monastery’s financial resources became apparent.
For this reason, the monastery had to be closed by Elector Max IV Joseph, who later became King Max I Joseph. The official closing date is October 26, 1801, before secularization.
For those who may not know what it is, secularization is a process of transforming something from religious to secular property or use. In some places it can also appear as a demarcation or separation from religious or spiritual matters.
The Theatinerkirche remained a collegiate church and the monastery brought the remaining 3 electoral departments together. Justice, Finance and Spiritual Affairs.
Before the monastery was dissolved in 1799, one of the departments moved into the Theatine monastery. It was the foreign affairs department.
Like many other institutions in Munich, the Second World War was its undoing. The church was the target of air raids, especially in the last years of the war. The west wing of the monastery was damaged. The altarpiece from the time the church was founded was also destroyed.
But I assume that a “paranormal force” must have visited this church and made it shine again. The restoration from 1946 was completed after almost 10 years.
The interior of the church and its graves
One of the first impressions you can get of this church is how it looks. When I first saw her, I was just impressed.
The 71 meter high dome gives a grandiose feeling of space. It’s also richly decorated with stucco, and this is something that can really take your breath away.
The dark wood of the pulpit from 1681 contrasts with the white and gray tones that otherwise dominate.
It is precisely this game of opposites that I like most about this church. It’s really fascinating how it’s all embedded. I can’t forget how excited I am every time I remember it.
An entire interior of the church is covered with white stucco. This gives it a very bright appearance and sets it apart from most other Munich churches. The German sculptor Wolfgang Leutner and the Italian Nicolo Petri are responsible for the statues and stucco decorations.
There are numerous paintings around the large black altar inside, which was made by Andreas Faistenberger. Carlo Cignani, George Desmarees, Caspar de Crayer and Joachim Sandrart are the artist names whose works can be found there.
When it comes to the burial sites in this church, there are many personalities in the Theatinerkirche. The first people that come to mind are the members of the Wittelsbach family.
There is a small chapel where the remains of King Maximilian II and his wife are kept. There is also a crypt in which her son, the prince, is laid out.
Charles VII, the Holy Roman Emperor, is another person laid out here. The tomb of the exiled King Otto of Greece, about whom I was just writing, is also here.
Munich churches and religion, that’s how I see it
As I mentioned earlier, I am an atheist. But that is not very important, in fact. What I want to achieve is mutual understanding and respect for all things in life.
It is the same with religion.
I know how important religion is in everyone’s life. Many find in her their peace and inspiration to move forward. I really have nothing against her.
I am aware of the great impact it can have on people’s lives and I always try to be as specific as possible.
Hopefully I can find this attitude in you too. Because I think that, regardless of religious affiliation, the most important thing is how people behave and what they have in their hearts.
All Christians, whether Orthodox or Catholic, have the same religion. Others are Hindus, Buddhists, etc. Some are atheists like me or maybe Gnostics, but all of this is everyone’s personal choice. Nobody can take that away from us, and I’m glad it is.
What I deeply want from you, my readers, is that you understand others’ feelings and their decisions. Regardless of their religious beliefs. Because everyone deserves a chance to show their qualities and eventually become your friend or maybe a partner.
Regardless of whether they belong to other religions or are not religious at all.
I want to achieve this mutual respect in every part of the world, not just in Munich. Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to travel that long.
Ultimately, we are all human and we will be the same in the end. Whether we are believers or not, straight or homosexual, rich or poor. So if anyone can learn about it from me, my heart will be filled with joy and peace.
Short tour around Theatinerkirche
Since I have some personal experience of visiting churches in Munich, I will try to give you a brief summary here as well.
What you will find here is a charming rococo-style exterior with cream-yellow colors. The facade is two-story and is flanked by two towers with dials and rich decorations.
The interior of the church is in the high baroque style. The nave is equipped with Corinthian columns and other stucco decorations. The artfully carved pulpit in Baroque style is just as worth seeing as the side chapels.
You can take 10-20 minutes to visit the Theatine Church. To take nice photos of the church facade, you should walk across Odeonsplatz, which is in front of the residence.
From here you can put the entire church into your camera’s lens.