Karlstor

The Karlstor forms the western gate of Munich's historic Old Town and separates it from the Ludwigsvorstadt district. Originally built around 1300 as the Neuhauser Tor, it is one of the city's three surviving city gates. Of the medieval fortifications, only the two flanking towers have been preserved in their original form, while the main tower and the inner defenses were torn down in the 19th century. Its present appearance is the result of a Neo-Gothic redesign carried out in 1861 and 1862 by the architect Arnold Zenetti. After suffering heavy damage in World War II, the structure was rebuilt in a simplified form.

At the gate, you can discover a variety of historical and cultural details. Four stone sculptures sit on the corbels of the central vault, depicting well-known Munich characters such as the bandmaster Josef Sulzbeck and the court jester Georg Pranger. On the north side of the main archway, a memorial honors Herbert Jensen, who came up with the idea of the pedestrian zone; it is complemented by three figures of children playing music. The Münchner Kindl and a lion's head also adorn the inside of the towers, while the outside shows historic coats of arms and a more recent depiction of the city's emblem. Directly in front of the gate lies Karlsplatz, a central and busy traffic hub in the city.