Is Nymphenburg Palace Worth Visiting? Helpful Guide to the Answer

The Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, Germany, is a Baroque marvel.

In German, Schloss Nymphenburg means the Palace of the Nymphs. Looking like it’s straight out of a Disney palace, visiting is a must on your list of things to do in Munich!

It’s even more extensive than Versailles! Having changed a lot (as castles do) over the years, the Nymphenburg Palace has been the principal summer residence for the former rulers of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach.

All of this makes it one of the most famous sights in München! Hence why, I made sure it was on my list for my one day in Munich!

If you have more time in Germany, check out Baden-Württemberg, which is in south west Germany.

Visiting the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich

The original shape of the Nymphenburg summer residence was just a large cubic pavilion. It was built in 1679 with a court church, several outbuildings, and a small garden surrounding it. Its current size is due to elector Max Emanuel, who reigned from 1680-1726. Today, it not only encompasses the original pavilion but also the Nymphenburg Park around it.

Over the years, the palace has gone through several incarnations. Bringing with it several different styles, such as baroque, rococo, and neoclassical.

The baroque facades themselves are 700 meters (about 2297 feet) in width. Walking through the palace, you see the many styles encompassing this magnificent Munich palace.

The Marble Hall / Great Hall

The central building where you start the audio-guided tour is the original part of the Nymphenburg Palace. In the Marble Hall or the Great Hall, you’ll find ornate rococo stuccowork.

Honestly, it’s breathtaking. It is considered one of the best large-scale interiors in the late court Rococo style.

If you look up, there’s a gorgeous and colossal ceiling painting depicting Olympian heaven, symbolizing the ruler’s duty to bring and receive peace. In reference to its namesake, nymphs pay homage to the nymph Flora, who has become a goddess.

The Marble Hall / Great Gall has been unchanged since 1758. It’s considered an authentic rococo room and is simply a marvel to behold.

The North Salettl

After his return from exile to France in 1715, Max Emanuel, who reigned from 1679–1726, began decorating his summer residence. This hall is an intact example of the French style of interior design at the time.

You’ll see his portrait and that of his second wife, Therese Kunigunde, here. Lots and lots of gold adorn this room—on the walls, clock, dresser, frame, etc.

I can’t find any figures on how much it cost to build the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, but I can only imagine it’s a LOT!

The Antechamber

There’s even more royal opulence in the antechamber, but what caught my eye was this table. It is from the Medici court workshop in Florence, Italy.

The Medici’s were avid supporters of the arts. They financed the invention of the piano and opera, funded the construction of Saint Peter’s Basilica and Santa Maria del Fiore. They were also patrons of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo.

Guest Apartment Bedchamber

This suite was a guest apartment from the mid-18th century onward. Around 1803, the rooms were redecorated to what you see today. The portraits of ladies on the wall are considered the Little Gallery of Beauties. They feature only women of the court at Nymphenburg Palace in Munich.

The ceiling painting is of the sea goddess Thetis and dates from around 1674. Thought I honestly think she looks like Medusa a bit with that hair.

The North Gallery

The North Gallery was the ceremonial entry point into Max Emanuel’s apartment, which is now inaccessible. In this gallery, visitors of Nymphenburg Palace would wait here for an audience with his majesty. It’s the same ruler whose portrait is in the North Salettl.

Here, instead of showing off his military might, he wanted to show his capability as a builder.

Having a painting of your palace at said palace seems a bit much to me. It’s kind of like when celebrities wear photos of other celebrities. We get it! You’re famous! And this is not the only painting of the Palace in this gallery—there are TONS more!

The Imperial Bedchamber

Again, the electoral couple Max Emanuel and Therese Kunigunde are seen on either side of the bed. The imperial bed depicts the room’s original function but dates from a later period.

The flower goddess Flora is painted on the ceiling, tying into the namesake again. She looks ready to celebrate to me, holding those wreaths of flowers aloft.

The Chinese Lacquer Cabinet

One of the things I noticed about the Nymphenburg Palace was how much it was inspired by other cultures. Here, the Chinese Lacquer Cabinet is completely covered with panels showing scenes from a Chinese novel. I don’t recall seeing Chinese decor in any other palaces or castles I’ve visited before, so this was new to me.

Have you seen this before? Let me know in the comments!

Antechamber and Writing Cabinet of Elector Karl Theodor

Man, these royals loved their antechambers! These antechambers were added during the final extensions of the Nymphenburg Palace in 1795.

Two galleries were widened, and three cabinets were added. One was a writing room, as seen above, and one was a coffee room. Fancy a Starbucks, anyone?

Salon / King Ludwig I’s Gallery of Beauties

The Nymphenburg Palace in Munich is famous for its Gallery of Beauties. Created for King Ludwig I, who reigned from 1825 to 1848, they were initially intended for the Festsaalbau (Festival Hall Building) of the Munich Residenz. This series of paintings was a commission from the King.

Surprisingly, they feature not only ladies of the court but women from all classes of society. Thirty-six portraits were created, one of which has since been lost. Since the original commission, two more were added.

The most well-known portraits are the “Schöne Münchnerin” (the Beauty of Munich) Helene Sedlmayr, who was the daughter of a shoemaker. Unfortunately, Helene, it’s in my photos. They’ve been renovating, so I either missed her, or she wasn’t on the wall due to restoration.

The “Spanish” dancer Lola Montez, the mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, is the other famous painting. Under pressure from a growing revolutionary movement, Ludwig abdicated in favor of his son, King Maximilian II, and fled Bavaria with Montez. You’ll find her in the right photo on the bottom left above.

If you’re looking to ‘flee’ and see more of Bavaria, check out this Bavaria road trip itinerary.

The Queen’s Study

Another example of the royals of Nymphenburg Palace using icons of other cultures is in the Queen’s study. Busts of pharaohs made of gilt bronze hold up the table.

Even the chairs have busts and feet inspired by the Egyptians. During the Napoleonic era, Egyptian fashion was all the rage. It’s largely why the King Tut tomb was such a big deal to find!

The Queen’s Bedchamber: Birthplace of King Ludwig II

One of the rooms that has retained its original furnishings is Queen Caroline’s bedchamber. With the addition of the children’s furniture and various personal possessions, it was made to look private.

In 1842, the Bavarian Crown Prince Maximilian (II, who reigned 1848 – 1864) and his wife Marie of Prussia took up residence in Nymphenburg Palace. On August 25, 1845, Marie of Prussia gave birth to the heir to the throne, who would become Ludwig II, in this room. He was christened the following day in the Great Hall. The future King and his brother Otto are seen here as children in two busts dating from 1850.

You’ve probably heard of King Ludwig II, known as the Swan King, der Märchenkönig (“the Fairy Tale King”), or the Mad King.

His cousin and friend, Empress Elisabeth, said, “The King was not mad; he was just an eccentric living in a world of dreams. They might have treated him more gently, and thus perhaps spared him so terrible an end.”

You can listen to an excellent podcast about him, his famous castles (Neuschwanstein Castle, the one that inspired Walt Disney), and his untimely death on Noble Blood.

Taking an Audio Guided Tour

There are no regular guided tours of Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. However, you can get an audio guide available in German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), and Japanese.

It costs 3.50 euros for individuals. Groups of 15 people or more get a cheaper rate of 2.50 euros per person. If you are dead set on a guided tour, they allow you to pre-book special guided tours in English for groups.

*Prices as of 2020

Update: They now have an app you can download called “Nymphenburg Park,” which helps you discover Nymphenburg. This app includes historical information about 23 selected stations, audio documents, pictures, and films about Nymphenburg Palace Park. All the texts in the app are also available in audio form. This free app is available in German and English and can be downloaded at the Google Play Store or iTunes.

Nymphenburg Palace Intinerary Info

As they are currently restoring Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, some sections may be unavailable during your visit. Make sure to check their official site before visiting to see what the Nymphenburg Palace hours are. The last entry to all Nymphenburg Park buildings is 20 minutes before closing.

Again, make sure to check Nymphenburg Palace ticket prices before you go on their official website. They may be different from those stated below. When visiting in 2018, we bought the Nymphenburg Palace ticket for 8 euros as we were only in Munich for one day. If you have more time, you have other ticket options. Also, children under 18 are admitted free of charge.

Combination ticket “Nymphenburg”: This ticket allows you to visit the palace, the Marstallmuseum (carriages and sleighs), the Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain, and the park palaces (Amalienburg, Badenburg, Pagodenburg, Magdalenenklause). 

1 April-15 October:
15 euros regular · 13 euros reduced

16 October-31 March:
12 euros regular · 10 euros reduced

Nymphenburg Palace ticket: 8 euros regular · 7 euros reduced

Marstallmuseum with Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain ticket: 6 euros regular · 5 euros reduced

Combination ticket “Parkburgen” (park palaces): 5 euros regular · 4 euros reduced

Note: In winter, the park palaces are closed.

If you’d like to take the work out of visiting Nymphenburg Palace in Munich on your own, then I suggest Get Your Guide Tours as they offer many marvelous options. I love booking with them because if any issues arise, it’s easy to get a refund. Their tour operators are also affordable and reliable.

How to Get To Nymphenburg Palace

To get to the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, I took public transportation. You can get there by car; however, if you only have one day in Munich as I did, then public transportation is the most convenient.

The public transit in Munich was a little more confusing than I’m used to, but I was still able to get around rather easily. I used the S-Bahn to get there from my hotel, but you can also take the U-Bahn.

• S-Bahn (suburban railway) to “Laim”, then bus to “Schloss Nymphenburg”
• U-Bahn (underground) to “Rotkreuzplatz”, then tram to “Schloss Nymphenburg”

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