Ludwigstraße
The Ludwigstrasse in Munich is one of the city's four royal avenues. Principal was King Ludwig I of Bavaria, the avenue is named in his honour. The city's grandest boulevard with its public buildings still maintains its architectural uniformity envisioned as a grand street "worthy the kingdom" as requested by the king. The Ludwigstrasse has served also for state parades and funeral processions.
Architecture
The avenue begins at Odeonsplatz and runs from south to north, it leads from the Feldherrnhalle in the south to the Siegestor in the north, skirting the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, the St. Ludwig church, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) and numerous state ministries and palaces.
The southern part of the avenue was constructed in Italian renaissance style by Leo von Klenze from 1816 onwards. The northern part was then constructed since 1827 in line with a plan of Klenze's rival Friedrich von Gärtner, the appearance is strongly influenced by Italian romanesque architecture.
Some buildings were constructed during the Third Reich, such as the Bavarian Department of Agriculture. The opening in the middle of the Ludwigstrasse for the new circular road Altstadtring after World War II disturbs the appearance.
Its extension north of the Siegestor in Schwabing is called Leopoldstrasse.
The U3 and U6 lines of the Munich U-Bahn run under the Ludwigstrasse, with stations at Odeonsplatz and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität.
Main sights
From south to north
- Odeonsplatz
- Bavarian Main Records Office (Bavarian Hauptstaatsarchiv, former Bavarian Ministry of War; Leo von Klenze, 1824-1830) (Ludwigstr. 14)
- Bavarian State Library (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek; Friedrich von Gärtner, 1832-1842) (Ludwigstr. 16)
- Bavarian Higher Administrative Court (Bayerischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof; former convent building, Friedrich von Gärtner, 1840-1843) (Ludwigstr. 23)
- Seminar Building of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (Former Blindeninstitut; Friedrich von Gärtner, 1833-1825) (Ludwigstr. 25)
- Former headquarters of the BHS-Bayerische Berg-, Hütten- und Salzwerke AG (Friedrich von Gärtner, 1840-1843) (Ludwigstr. 27)
- St. Ludwig University Church (Universitätskirche St. Ludwig; Friedrich von Gärtner, 1829-1844)
- Georgianum (Friedrich von Gärtner, 1834-1841) (Professor-Huber-Platz 1)
- Max-Joseph-Stift (Friedrich von Gärtner, 1837-1840) (Professor-Huber-Platz 2)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (Friedrich von Gärtner, 1835-1840) (Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1)
- Siegestor (Friedrich von Gärtner, 1843-1852)
