Alte Münze

The Alte Münze (Old Mint) in Munich is a historic building complex in the Old Town, originally built between 1563 and 1567 as a royal stable and cabinet of curiosities for Duke Albrecht V. The four-winged structure encloses an arcaded courtyard whose three-story loggias draw on Italian Renaissance architecture, yet their stockier proportions and irregular bays give them a distinctive character of the German Renaissance. The ground floor once held vaulted stable halls, while the top floor housed the ducal Kunstkammer, or cabinet of art and curiosities. This collection, one of the first universal museums, held more than six thousand objects, including major paintings such as Albrecht Altdorfer's Battle of Alexander, along with natural history and ethnographic exhibits. After Swedish troops plundered it during the Thirty Years' War, the collection lost its importance and was finally dissolved in the early 19th century.

In 1808, the building received an early Neoclassical facade based on plans by Johann Andreas Gärtner and was converted into the Royal Mint. The west side gained a projecting central entrance bay with a triangular pediment and allegorical reliefs personifying gold, silver, and ore. The former stables were converted into workrooms, though the south wing retained a large hall for mechanical coin striking, powered by water wheels. During World War II, the north wing was badly damaged, but the arcades remained largely intact. After repairs in the 1950s, the building has housed the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments since 1986. As part of the restoration, the arcaded courtyard was opened to the public and enriched with artworks such as Erich Lindenberg's Broken Figure in the main stairwell.

Today, the Alte Münze is not only an administrative center but also a cultural gathering place. In summer, the Renaissance courtyard serves as a stage for open-air performances by the Bavarian Theatre Academy. You can tour the historic architecture and the restored interiors, which offer insight into the site's eventful history. The complex is also linked to the Alter Hof by a covered courtyard passage, whose bridge roof structure has been dated by dendrochronology to 1579. Archaeological excavations in the former mint garden also uncovered remains of the medieval city wall, underscoring the site's historical depth.