Munich - Schleissheim Palace and Park

The Altes Schloss is an unpretentious country manor with two corner turrets and a flight of steps leading up to the entrance. Badly damaged by fire in 1944, the exterior was restored after the war (work completed in 1972). At the rear is a courtyard with old trees, from which a gatehouse gives access to the domestic offices of Wilhelm V's original house.

An exhibition "Das Evangelium in den Wohnungen der Völker" (The Gospel in the Homes of the People; Gertrud Weinhold Collection) can be seen inside the Altes Schloss.

Older than the Neues Schloss, this small yellow and white palace at the far end of Schleissheim park was built in 1684-88 by Enrico Zuccali on the occasion of the marriage of the Elector Max Emanuel to Maria Antonia, daughter of Leopold I, Emperor of Austria. Built in the architectural style of an Italian garden palace, it stands on a circular island ringed by a canal, the intention undoubtedly being to recreate Cythera, legendary island of love and happiness. On the north side of the palace stand what were once stables for the Electoral couple's horses, to the south the former Renatius Chapel, also by Zuccali. These two buildings were apparently linked at one time by semi-circular arcades with an orangery in the middle, but today there is only a hedge.

The ground floor of the palace is laid out with a main hall extending up through the floor above, and 12 smaller rooms. The hall is noteworthy for its fine ceiling painting by F. Rosa, G. Turbillo and J. A. Gumpp celebrating Diana, Goddess of Hunting, and also its six large paintings of Maximilian's Court at the hunt.