Alte Pinakothek
Alte Pinakothek is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Munich audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~120 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Munich Munich guide
About Alte Pinakothek
One of the world's great old-master galleries, built by Ludwig I in 1836, home to more Rubens than anywhere, and a bomb-scar mended in honest brick that refuses to hide the war.
The Alte Pinakothek is one of the world's great galleries of old master painting, on the Kunstareal in Maxvorstadt. It was commissioned by King Ludwig I, designed by Leo von Klenze, built between 1826 and 1836, and opened on 16 October 1836; at the time it was the largest museum building in the world, and it became a model for galleries across Europe. Its collection, built up by the Wittelsbach rulers over centuries, includes major works by Dürer (among them The Four Apostles), Rembrandt, Leonardo and Raphael, and the largest permanent display of Rubens anywhere, some 72 paintings. Severely damaged by bombing in the Second World War, it was reconstructed between 1952 and 1957 by the architect Hans Döllgast, who repaired the gutted centre in plain, unmatched brick, deliberately leaving the join visible, a celebrated example of honest post-war restoration. It reopened in 1957.
Did you know? When it opened in 1836 the Alte Pinakothek was the largest museum building in the world; galleries from the Hermitage in St Petersburg to museums in Rome and Brussels were soon built in imitation of it.
How long should you spend at Alte Pinakothek?
Plan about ~120 min at Alte Pinakothek. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Alte Pinakothek worth visiting?
Alte Pinakothek is one of the 26 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Munich, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Munich
Hear the story of Alte Pinakothek
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