Alter Hof

The Alter Hof stands in the heart of Munich, a group of five linked wings arranged around a courtyard. The oldest parts date from the 12th century, when a castle first occupied the site. Louis II, Duke of Bavaria, made it his residence after the first partition of the duchy in 1255. His son Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, turned the Alter Hof into the first permanent imperial residence in the Holy Roman Empire. Over the centuries the dukes moved to newer buildings, but the Alter Hof remained in use as government offices. The castle’s late Gothic west wings survive from the time of Duke Sigismund. After wartime damage in the 1940s the structure was rebuilt, and parts were later converted into offices and apartments. Beneath the Infopoint lies an exhibition called Münchner Kaiserburg, housed in a vaulted cellar from about 1300. A short film and displays explain the history of the Old Court, the legend of the oriel window known locally as the Monkey Tower, and the life of Louis IV. The Alter Hof connects on its north side to the Alte Münze, a Renaissance building once used for ducal stables and art collections. Its inner courtyard still shows Renaissance arcades, while later facades reflect neoclassical and neogothic styles. Visitors can walk through the archway to view the arcades and the adjoining courtyard, which together recall Munich’s centuries as a ducal and imperial centre.