The Palace Pagoda

It had been a while since we visited Nymphenburg Palace, the one-time summer home of the Wittlesbach family; and we were stunned by how beautiful it was today. It was cold, yet sunny and the grounds were covered with fields of gold from fallen leaves. Fortunately, we arrived just before they boxed up all the statues (all statues in Munich are covered with custom made wooden cases each Winter to prevent damage). We stopped by the Octagon shaped Pagodenburg, where four locals met for coffee before continuing their trek along the extensive grounds. I always wonder if these little structures in the middle of the palace grounds were actually places for rendezvous with mistresses and other partners. Either way, it made for a beautiful setting today, as it sits on a small lake and next to one of the many beautiful canals. The interior, although we didn’t see it because it closes in early October, is decorated with pseudo Chinese motifs, often using Dutch tiles in place of Chinese ones. Other highlights of the Nymphenburg grounds include the Amalienburg (hall of mirrors), the Badenburg bathing room, and the botanical gardens nearby.