About 10 minutes from Laim, connected by public transport, in the western part of the city of Munich, lies the Nymphenburg Palace (Schloss Nymphenburg), with its wonderful garden (Schlosspark Nymphenburg).

The palace and above all the large park are a regular destination not only for tourists but also for the inhabitants of Munich, who on Sundays love to go for a walk in the parks, not only in the good season but also in the cold season.

In its entire extension, the garden covers 230 hectares, the equivalent of as many as 328 football pitches.

If you come to me for a German lesson and have some free time, I warmly recommend paying a visit to Nymphenburg, because it is an inspiring place, rich in history, and it might even motivate you to study German.

History of Nymphenburg Palace

After the birth of the heir to the throne in 1789, Duke Ferdinand Maria, as a thank you to his wife for the happy event, decided to give her a palace.
Queen Adelaide of Savoy herself decided to call it Nymphenburg (palace of the Nymphs) and presided over the construction works that followed.
The central part of the palace is the first that was built, naturally having in mind the style of an Italian villa.
The heir to the throne, Maximilian Emanuel, once he became king, continued his mother’s work by entrusting the expansion of the palace to the architects Joseph Effner and Enrico Zucalli, to make it one of the most beautiful palaces with gardens in Europe.
Max Emanuel had the side pavilions added, which were later connected to the central body by galleries, whose arcades you can cross to reach the large garden at the back.

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Nymphenburg: more to see

When you go to Nymphenburg, you will have the opportunity to visit, besides the palace, the carriage museum (Marstallmuseum), which houses one of the most important collections of historical carriages in Europe, including carriages that belonged to the rulers of Bavaria.
You can visit the Nymphenburg porcelain factory (Porzellanmanufaktur Nymphenburg), which is located in one of the pavilions facing the main façade and has been producing porcelain since 1761. Visits are only possible after prior registration and confirmation of the visit.
Since 1990, in one of the side pavilions, you can find the museum of man and nature (Museum Mensch und Natur), dedicated to the structure of the earth and the functioning of the human body.
Finally, in the vast garden at the back there are small buildings that at the time had different uses: Amalienburg, which was meant to serve as a stop and refreshment point for hunting, and Badenburg, which at the time of its construction was the largest bathing house in Europe. Pagodenburg, which was meant to be used for relaxing (evidently the life of a ruler is more tiring than one might think) and to welcome visitors. Magdalenenklause is a small chapel that was meant to serve as a retreat for prayer and contemplation.
Lastly, to the north of the Nymphenburg garden you can visit the botanical garden, one of the most beautiful in Europe, with over 14,000 species arranged in artistic creations. A visit from the beginning of spring to the beginning of the cold season is recommended.

Perhaps this will not interest my Italian students, but until mid-October, in one of the canals of the Nymphenburg park, you can see and even take a ride on an original Venetian gondola. As we have seen, the bond between Nymphenburg and Italy is quite close, so finding a gondola in Germany might actually make sense. Even if it is a bit reminiscent of the trinket shops for tourists, where you can find souvenirs of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Rome and “cathedrals” of Milan in Florence!

German lessons in Munich-Laim

On the other hand, if you are visiting Munich and would like to take a German course, it is worth seizing the opportunity to study this fascinating language immersed in the wonderful Bavarian nature.
Contact me for a quote for a German course at this address: Giulia.Pulizzotto@studio-navivo.de