Munich: Theatine Church at Odeonsplatz

Going back to Munich city centre from BMW Welt was genuinely easy and fast by train.  And having accomplished the only item, i.e. BMW excursion, in our Day 2 itinerary, we were set to embrace anything that the Altstadt (Old Town) has to offer at twilight.

We instinctively decided to go to a Christmas market. Our hotel concierge mentioned the previous day that Munich has a few but her favourite was the one at Residenz in Odeonsplatz and so that was where our furry boots headed…

We got off at Odeonsplatz train station but before we could reach the Christmas market, we were distracted by the imposing bright yellow-coloured church which turned out to be the Theatine Church of St Kajetan (or St Kajetan-Theatinerkirche in German).

Theatinerkirche is a Catholic church originally built in the 17th century.  It was commissioned by Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy to give thanks for the birth of her son, Prince Max Emanuel,  the long-awaited heir to the Bavarian throne. The prince later became known as Prince-elector Maximilian II.

I have only been to a few in Europe but this was the first time that I had seen a church with all-white interiors that was far from simple.  I mean look at those massive columns and intricate works on the walls and ceiling.

Many Bavarian royalties were buried in the crypt of Theatinerkirch and it would have been a good educational experience for the boys to explore that part of the church but they had been itching to go to the Christmas market already and press their lips on the warm mugs of kinderpunsch (alcohol-free hot punch).

Our experience in Munich’s traditional Christmas markets is up in the next blog post. 🙂

— xoxo —

Here are the other posts on our Bavarian and Austrian holiday:

1. Munich: Start of our family’s tales from last winter
2. Munich: Viktualienmarkt Biergarten
3. Munich: BMW Museum and BMW Welt
4. Munich: Theatine Church and Odeonplatz
5. Munich: Christmas Markets
6. Munich: Hofbrauhaus Beer Hall
7. Munich: City Aparthotel München
8. Salzburg: Birthplace of Mozart and Silent Night
9. Salzburg: Hohensalzburg Fortress 
10. Salzburg: Residenzplatz Christmas Market
11. Salzburg: Salzburg Cathedral
12. Salzburg: Silent Night 200 at Salzburg Museum
13. Salzburg: Silent Night Tour by Bob’s Special Tour
14. Salzburg: Silent Night at Oberndorf and Laufen
15. Salzkammergut: Road Trip to Hallstatt
16. Salzkammergut: Christmas Market at St Wolfgang
17. Salzburg: Krampus Run at Hellbrunn Palace
18. Salzburg: Imlauer Hotel Pitter Salzburg
19. Obergurgl: A Week in the Austrian Alps
20. Obergurgl: Chalet Obergurgl Luxury Apartments
21. Obergurgl: Hohe Mut Alm Mountain Restaurant
22. Obergurgl: Snowstorm on Christmas Eve
23. Obergurgl: Day After the Storm
24. Obergurgl: Snowshoeing
25. Hochgurgl: Tobogganing
26. Hochgurgl: Hochgurgl Cable Car Ride
27. Vienna: First Impressions
28. Vienna: Hofburgkapelle and Imperial Armoury
29. Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace
30. Vienna: Imperial Treasury and Hofburg
31. Vienna: Prater
32. Vienna: New Year’s Eve Fireworks and Waltz
33. Vienna: Hilton Vienna Plaza
34. Stuttgart: The Mercedes-Benz Museum
35. Stuttgart: The Porsche Museum