Bavaria - Nymphenburg Palace II  

Now along this path we approach the palace. Near the palace we reached a garden filled with statues.

The palace is a majestic, semicircular construction, stretching 500m from one wing to the other. It was begun in Italian-villa style Gradually the French style took over, and today the facade is a subdued baroque. Remember, we are approaching it from the back. You can still see some of the statues in the picture on the left.

Upon entering the main building, you're in the great hall, decorated in rococo colors and stuccos. The frescoes by Johann Baptist Zimmermann (1756) depict incidents from mythology, especially those dealing with Flora, goddess of spring, and her nymphs, for whom the palace was named. This hall was used for both banquets and concerts during the reign of Max Joseph III, elector during the mid-18th century. Concerts are still presented here in summer. Frieda, ever the art teacher, explained that the first floor wall were plain white because at a ball the ladies dresses are supposed to supply the color.

King Ludwig I's provocative Gallery of Beauties is located in the south pavilion (the apartments of Queen Caroline). Ludwig commissioned no fewer than 36 portraits of the most beautiful women of his day. The paintings by J. Stieler (created from 1827-50) include the Schöne Münchenerin (lovely Munich girl) and a portrait of Lola Montez, the dancer whose "friendship" with Ludwig caused a scandal that factored into the Revolution of 1848. Reputedly these women were the mistresses of King Ludwig I, but that is not necessarily so.

Here is the portrait of Lola Montez, one of the beauties. Here is her story which details how she helped bring down king Ludwig I. Lola

I didn't take many pictures inside the palace. Here is the view as we get away from the palace and begin our walk back through the park.

I have forgotten which building this is, but it is queerly three-sided.

The girls look at the map to figure out how to get us to the rear gate. At right, we noticed this deer right off the path.

Another of the cleared areas that provide a expansive view from the palace.

We bicycle back to Frieda's.

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Arrival Munich   Weidenhofen farm   Weidenhofen chapel   Straubing fair   Karl's farm   Walk to village   Oberaltaich church Danube   Pfarr-und Wallfahrtskirche church   Bavarian countryside   Munich I   Munich II   Munich III   Nymphenburg Palace I   Nymphenburg Palace II
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