Theatine Church

Standing at the Odeonsplatz, one of Munich's most elegant squares, you are greeted by a sight that feels more like Rome than Bavaria: the Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan. …

The facade of the Theatine Church is its most recognizable feature, but it was actually the last part of the building to be completed. While the main structure was finished in the 17th century, the exterior you see today was…

Stepping inside the Theatine Church is often described as a 'spiritual awakening.' After the warm yellow of the exterior, the interior is a shocking, brilliant white. There are no colorful frescoes or dark wood here. …

The focal point of the interior is the High Altar, a monumental work of art that draws the eye down the long nave. The altarpiece was designed by Gaspar de Crayer, a contemporary of Rubens, and depicts the 'Intercession of the…

The Theatinerkirche serves a somber and important function as the burial place for many members of the Wittelsbach dynasty, the rulers of Bavaria. The Fürstengruft, or Royal Crypt, is located beneath the church and can be visited…

The Theatine Church is renowned not only for its visual beauty but for its extraordinary acoustics. The vast, hard-surfaced interior creates a reverberation that is ideal for organ and choral music. …

To fully appreciate the Theatine Church, one must see it in the context of the Odeonsplatz. Directly next to the church is the Feldherrnhalle, or Field Marshals' Hall, built in the 1840s to honor the Bavarian army. …

Our visit to the Theatinerkirche has taken us from the radiant yellow sunshine of the Odeonsplatz to the pure, silent white of the Baroque interior and into the historic depths of the royal crypt. We have seen how a single vow of…