Denkmal

The Maximilian II Joseph monument stands in Bad Kissingen’s Luitpold Park, a green space in the heart of the Unterfranken region. Carved from marble, the statue depicts the king in the ceremonial robes of the Hubertus Order, wrapped in a royal ermine cloak. It rises from a limestone pedestal bearing an inscription that records his reign. The monument was created by sculptor Michael Arnold, who first proposed the idea in 1863 through letters to the king. After Maximilian’s sudden death in 1864, a committee collected funds and selected Arnold’s final design.

The monument’s unveiling on 25 August 1869 was planned to coincide with the birthday of King Ludwig II, the subject’s son, but the monarch did not attend. A temporary triumphal arch by Arnold, featuring a goddess of health holding a portrait of Ludwig II, was prepared for the occasion. Local newspapers reported that the ceremony began at dawn with gun salutes and ended with a blessing from Bishop Georg Anton von Stahl. Press coverage in the Leipzig Illustrated Newspaper spread news of the event across Germany.

Visitors now find the statue facing the Casino of the Luitpold Baths, its back turned to the building for many decades before a recent move. A 25-metre shift in 2017 turned the figure to face the Casino, opening new views across the park. Nearby stands Arnold’s earlier Hygieia sculpture group, relocated in 1911 to make way for the Wandelhalle colonnade. The park itself offers shaded paths, mature trees and the calm atmosphere of a historic spa town.