Hofgarten

The creation of the Hofgarten, which originally lay outside the moat that surrounded the Residenz Palace, began in 1613. At the same time, Duke Maximilian I was adding many new buildings to the palace complex.

Since its early days, the garden has been redesigned a number of times. When tastes or trends changed, so did the garden.
The most extensive refurbishing, however, occurred after the devastation of World War II. Since after the war, landscape architects saw to it that flower beds were once again typical of those found in the early 17th century and the original waterworks were restored, providing the fountains with plenty of water.

The focal point of the garden is the hofgartentemple, also known as the Temple of Diana. The pavilion was designed in 1615 by Heinrich Schön the Elder. There are eight arches on the pavilion and from each arch radiates a footpath that serves to divide the garden into eight individual sections.

On top of the pavilion, there is a bronze statue entitled “Tellus Bavarica”. The statue symbolizes the treasures of the Bavarian land – grain, game, water, and salt. It was designed by Hubert Gerhard in 1590 and acquired by Duke Maximilian I in 1616, who placed it atop the pavilion. The current statue is a copy, the original version stands in the Emperor’s Hall in the Residenz.

At the eastern end of the Hofgarten stands the monumental Bayerische Staatskanzlei or Bavarian State Chancellery. After decades of dispute and several designs the building was finally completed in 1992.
The central part of the building is the 32 meter (105 ft) high domed section of the former Army museum. Built in 1905 by Ludwig Mellinger this section was restored in 1982. A modern glass wing was built at each side of this central section, creating a 194m/637ft long complex.

At the southern end the Hofgarten is enclosed by the Festsaalbau (Banqueting Hall wing), Part of the Residenz complex. To the north the Hofgarten is bounded by what was originally an arcaded art gallery, the precursor of today's pinakotheks. The Basargebäude borders the western end of the Hofgarten, the adjacent Hofgartentor (Hofgarten Gate) gives access to the Odeonsplatz.