Theatine Church, Munich

The Theatinerkirche in Munich.

Interior of the church.

The Theatine Church of St. Cajetan (German: Theatinerkirche St. Kajetan) is a Catholic church in Munich, southern Germany. Built from 1663 to 1690, it was founded by Elector Ferdinand Maria and his wife, Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, as a gesture of thanks for the birth of the long-awaited heir to the Bavarian crown, Prince Max Emanuel, in 1662.

Architecture

The church was built in Italian high-Baroque style, inspired by Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome, designed by the Italian architect Agostino Barelli. His successor, Enrico Zuccalli, added two towers, originally not planned, and then finished the 71 meter high dome in 1690. The facade in Rococo style was completed only in 1768 by François de Cuvilliés. Its Mediterranean appearance and yellow coloring became a well known symbol for the city and had much influence on Southern German Baroque architecture.

The interior has a rich stucco decoration, executed by Nicolò Petri (1685–1688), Wolfgang Leutner being responsible for the stucco figures. The great black pulpit is a work of Andreas Faistenberger (1686). The altars house paintings of Caspar de Crayer, Carlo Cignani, George Desmareés and Joachim Sandrart. Balthasar Ableithner created the statues of Saint Marcus and Saint John.

Burial places

A small chapel contains the tombs of King Maximilian II and his consort Queen Marie. The crypt also contains the Prince’s Tomb, where among others these members of the Wittelsbach family were buried:

Tomb of Queen Marie of Bavaria

• Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy
• Ferdinand Maria, Elector of Bavaria
• Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria
• Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
• Maximilian III, Elector of Bavaria
• Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria
• King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria
• King Otto of Greece
• Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria
• Princess Alexandra of Bavaria
• Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
• Duchess Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria
• Duchess Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria

External links

• Theatinerkirche homepage (German)
• Photo spread of the Theatine Church / St. Cajetan, Dominican monastery
• 360° Panorama at the Theatinerkirche
• 360° interactive Panorama of the interior of Theatinerkirche (Flash)
• Pen and ink drawing of Theatinerkirche, München