Maximilianeum: Spirit of Bavaria
The Maximilianeum is a building of grand palatial standards in the district of Haidhausen, Munich. It is dedicated to all those students who present exceptional academic qualities. The building and the associated foundation was a result of the vision of the King Maximilian II of Bavaria. When the Second World War ended, the Maximilianeum became the seat of the Bavarian Parliament along with housing the foundation.
The Maximilianeum Foundation
This foundation began operating in the year 1852 by the decree of King Maximilian II of Bavaria. Maximilian II had this benevolent desire to provide assistance to all those Bavarian students who were gifted. At that time only men were admitted as students of the foundation. They were enabled in different ways such as in terms of monetary assistance and by providing them with residential spaces.
Moreover, since women were always left out of such benefits, the Duke Albrecht of Bavaria in the year 1980 created the Wittelsbach Jubilee Foundation. This institution specifically catered to the needs of the female students just as the Maximilianeum Foundation did for the male students.
Furthermore, each of the members of the Maximilianeum Foundation receive all the listed assistances although their study period. The foundation also caters to their needs if further opportunities such as that of studying abroad come about.
The seat of the Maximilianeum Foundation is located in a separate building towards the end of the Maximilianeum. This building is enveloped in the Neo-renaissances architectural tradition which further projects the academic ideas and spirit of the time.
In a rather unfortunate incidence in the 1920s, due to the inflation most of the assets and original endowments of the foundation lost all their values. Today, only the building remains along with the surrounding area. The Bavarian Parliament frequently leases out the building spaces to generate funds for the foundation.
The history of the building
The initial project work pertaining to the construction of the building was initiated in the year 1848 when the Crown Prince Maximilian ascended to the throne. The plan was in-fact listed much earlier by Maximilian II in 1839 as one of the projects that he would undertake once he became the king. The planning stage took a more concrete turn in 1851 when Friedrich Bürklein, the architect presented the King with formal documents and architectural plans. This plan was also meant to run in consonance with King Max’s larger vision of modernising Munich.
King Maximilian II wanted to take the Old Town and have a fluid turnaround. Thus keeping all these ideas in mind, the construction of the Neue Straße began. It was this building which was later christened as the Maximilianstraße from 1858 onwards.
Thereon a certain Arnold Zenetti, the appointed councillor for building and construction went on to construct connect the islands of Isar and Prater using numerous bridges. These bridges provided the much needed harmonious appearance in Munich’s architecture. The King had also decreed his appointed architects to develop a few model facades and upon this request the designers created a new style which became known as the Maximilian style. This style was a confluence of the neo-Gothic traits of England and usage of modern day technology. Through this new style the architects were able to create a unity between the various historical art forms and modern scientific developments.
The planning of Maximilianeum was conducted simultaneously with the Maximilianstraße. Historical documents suggest that King Max II in the year 1850 came up with the idea of hosting an architectural competition. This competition aimed at the creation of a construction plan for an institution which was meant for higher education and teaching.
The plans submitted by a certain Friedrich Bürklein were selected and he was then commissioned for the construction of the new project. It was on the 5th of October 1857 that King Max II laid the foundation stone. However, just before his untimely death in 1864, King Max went on to make changes in the original plans of the building. It is believed that there was a growing criticism which emerged with respect to the construction of the building and he was quite unhappy with it. When these changes were made the middle section of the building was nearing its completion. As per the new plans, pointed arches would be created which would then make the way for the neo-Renaissance arches. Moreover, with the death of King Max II the Maximilian style also ended. It took a decade more for the completion of the building.
Till the year 1918 the building was used for housing the academic foundation, a historic gallery along with the royal paedagogium. Furthermore, at the time of the Second World War as well, there were numerous art exhibitions which would take place in the beautiful galleries of the Maximilianeum and the highest café of Munich was formed in the arcades. It is said that, from this café a beautiful panoramic picturesque view of the city was visible.While the war was reaching its conclusion a bomb hit the Maximilianeum and severely destroyed parts of the building.
When the war ended the building was largely refurbished and it became the seat of the Bavarian parliament since 1949. In the same regard additional changes were made in the galleries of the building. Between the years 1958 and 1965 official meeting rooms and gathering halls were also added to eastern wing of the building. Further expansion projects were undertaken in the due course till the year 1994. One of the major additions to the building was the underground car park which was commissioned just a year before in 1993.
Interestingly, while the underground car parking area was being constructed, the workers on the site found the foundation stone which was laid by King Max II. Gold coins, portraits of the royal family and model of a locomotive were the items that were recovered from the foundation stone. These items can today be found on display in the Stone Hall of the Maximilianeum.
When the new millennia ushered in many changes were also initiated. For instance, the plenary chamber was redesigned from scratch and completed in the year 2005 and a new room – the Room of Silence was also created.
Despite all these additions and improvements the building did not have enough space for the growing parliament. This problem intensified during the 2008 State Parliamentary Elections. It was this time that certain group of people moved to the State Parliament for the first time in history. Realising all these issues and pre-empting any future needs, the government decided to further expand the northern wing of the Maximilianeum in 2012. This new block was constructed equipping it with modern amenities and retrofitted with advanced technological facilities. Its façade is also interesting because one can find extensive usage of terra cotta and glass. Through these features and its dominant cubical designs architectural independence was attained at the same time allowing a certain fluidity in the whole design of the building.
The exterior of the building
Maximilianeum has been fashioned with broad entrances and the very front of the building appears to have flattened corners which further settles on a higher base. This composition intersects with the middle section which has a concave design along with two wings that exist laterally.
The façade of the western wing of the building can be seen from a much greater distance because of certain angular features. It is this section where the original proclamation for the higher education and teaching institute can be seen. There are illustrations in mosaic which portray the foundation of Ettal Abbey by Emperor Ludwig IV. It symbolically creates the sense of religiosity and the spirit of charity of the Bavarian royal dynasty. Towards the southern side of the risalit there are artworks which illustrate the liberation of Vienna. There are also 22 busts of the great men from history. The Maximilianeum upon completion appeared grand and overlooked the river Isar as though it were the guardian of the mighty river.
Some of the sites that are in close proximity to the Maximilianeum are as follows:
- Friedensengel,
- Müllersches Volksbad
- Isar
- Hofbräuhaus
- Deutsches Museum
- Alte Münze
- Cuvilliés TheaterAddress: Residenz
- Alter Hof
- Heilig-Geist-Kirche
- Max-Joseph-Platz