Munich - St Michael Church

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St Michael Church Description

(Local Name: Sankt Michael) Sankt Michael, the largest Renaissance church north of the Alps, was built by Duke Wilhelm the Pious between 1583 and 1597 as a spiritual center of inspiration for the Counter-Reformation. It was erected in two stages. In the first stage (1583-88) the church was built and given a barrel-vaulted roof by an unknown architect (the vault being the largest in the world apart from that of St Peter's in Rome). There were grave doubts about the stability of the vaulting; but in fact it was the tower that collapsed, in 1590, destroying the choir. Thereupon, in a second phase of construction lasting until 1597, Friedrich Sustris built on to the undamaged nave a new choir and a transept not

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Hobbies & Activities category: Christian sites; Architecture - Renaissance

St Michael Church Highlights

Facade

With the Alte Akademie and the former Augustinian church now occupied by the Hunting and Fishing Museum, Sankt Michael forms an impressive ensemble. Its facade is a masterpiece of proportion

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Interior

The aisleless nave with its high barrel-vaulted roof is of impressive spatial effect. The dominant feature is the triumphal arch at the entrance to the choir, the pattern of which is continued in

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Royal Crypt

Buried in the Fürstengruft (Royal Crypt) underneath the choir are 41 members of the House of Wittelsbach, among them Duke Wilhelm V, the church's patron, the Elector Maximilian I and King Ludwig II

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