A castle as a king's gift! The longing for the birth of the heir to the throne, Max II. Emanuel, seems to justify such a birthday present. He was born in 1662, ten years after the marriage of elector Ferdinand Maria with Henriette Adelaide of Savoy. In September 1664 the summer residence in Venetian and Milanese style was commenced. The cubed building was extended under Max Emanuel. Side buildings, royal stud and orangery and a charming garden complex with small park castles were added.

It was with Dominique Girard and Joseph Effner in 1715 that the decisive extension of castle and garden to the widely praised complex was initiated. The symmetric arrangement of tree rows, flower beds, hedge gardens and artificial water courses, cascades and brooks is considered as a symbol. Venetian gondolas used the canal, the court danced in the park and the open air theatre presented comedies.

If you take a walk through park today you quickly come across pagoda and Baden castle which were designed by Effner. The pagoda wants to suggest the impression of a Chinese tea house with its octagonal ground plan and its furnishing. The name derives from Chinese god figures, called pagodas back then. The Baden castle comprises a great festival room and a heated swimming pool. Only Versailles could come up with these features back then.
 
In the rather savaged part of the park stands the Magdalena cell with its  deliberately ruin-like architecture. It captivates with its grotto-like chapel and the strict rooms following a courtly hermitage. Françoise Cuvilliés designed the Amalienburg in great rococo. On the roof you find a outdoor area from which hunting fan and elector Maria Amalia shot pheasants. A hundred years later, when a new era had begun, Friedrich von Sckell transformed the complex into an English landscape garden. Leo von Klenze designed the Monopteros at Badenburger See.

In order to bring money into the empty treasury Max Joseph founded the Nymphenburg porcelain manufacture in the northern castle circus in 1747. Get an overview of 180 years manufacturing in the Marstallmuseum, in the southern wing. Today you can visit the golden pomp waggons and sleds in the former stablings. The „Museum Mensch und Natur“ ("man and nature"), situated in the northern pavillon, is very popular among teenagers due to its interactive computer animations.

Heart of the main wing is the rococo room "Steinerner Saal", which ascends over three floors and which serves as a concert hall nowadays. Ludwig I. instructed his court painter Stiegler to portray the prettiest daughters in town, no matter which class. You can have a look in the amazing beauty gallery. The later fairy tale king Ludwig II. was born in 1845 in the green room and learnt to swim in the canal and to ride in the park.

Party like a king? Here you can do: Eisernes Haus, Hubertus- and Orangeriesaal can be rented. The Palmenhaus (www.palmenhaus.de) is very popular for weddings.

by Karin Nagl