Historic B&W photos of Munich, Bavaria, Germany in the 19th century | MONOVISIONS

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n 1806, Munich became the capital of the new Kingdom of Bavaria, with the state’s parliament (the Landtag) and the new archdiocese of Munich and Freising being located in the city. Twenty years later Landshut University was moved to Munich. Many of the city’s finest buildings belong to this period and were built under the first three Bavarian kings. Especially Ludwig I has rendered outstanding services to Munich’s status as a centre of the arts, attracting numerous artists and enhancing the city’s architectural substance with grand boulevards and buildings. On the other hand, Ludwig II, famous the world over as the fairytale king, held himself mostly aloof from his capital and focused more on his fanciful castles in the Bavarian countryside. Nevertheless, his patronage of Richard Wagner secured his posthumous reputation, as do his castles, which generate significant tourist income for Bavaria to this day. Later Prince Regent Luitpold’s years as regent were marked by tremendous artistic and cultural activity in Munich, enhancing its status as a cultural force of global importance.