Preysing Palais

The Palais Preysing in Munich's Old Town is a historic city palace considered the city's first Rococo palace. The building was constructed between 1723 and 1728 by Joseph Effner for Count Johann Maximilian IV Emanuel von Preysing, who had previously been mocked by Elector Karl Albrecht for his modest living quarters. The original furnishings were exceptionally lavish, especially the stucco work by Dominikus Zimmermann. After heavy destruction in World War II, the building was reconstructed, though most of the interior was lost, with the exception of the imposing three-armed ceremonial staircase with its lavish stucco and caryatids. Today the building houses numerous shops and medical practices and is considered one of the most elegant addresses in the city. Architecturally, the palace stands out for its symmetrical facade with colossal pilasters, a balcony supported by columns, and a rounded southeast corner adorned with a monumental vase.