Urban Ellegance

During the 19th century in Munich, there was an appreciation for classical antiquity and you see it in architecture throughout the city. A good example of this is Lenbachplatz (see panorama here), on the Northwest side of the Alstadt. If you walk by quickly, you may miss it all together. It’s a busy intersection on the ring road, with tram lines twisting through. But if you stop and look around, you see an amazing mix of classic buildings, two small city parks, and the Wittlesbach Fountain (pictured here). The fountain commemorates the completion of the city water supply system, leveraging the springs in the nearby alps, and is generally what is used today throughout Munich. Built in 1893, its theme focuses on the power of Water and is build by Hildebrand, one of five fountains he designed. When it was damaged in WWII, it was rebuild and designed by Hildebrand students. The fountain is surrounded by elegant buildings, grouped with a view to picturesque effect, without any precise plan or close relation to one another – buildings like the Bavarian Stock Exxchange,Lenbach Palais, the old law courts, the Artists House, the old botanical garden, and even the ultra modern BMW Pavilion Showroom