page_title: Architecture of Munich
section_title: Houses of worship in the inner city
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of Munich / Houses of worship in the inner city
context_section_description: The Peterskirche close to Marienplatz is the oldest church of the inner city. It was first built during the Romanesque period, and was the focus of the early monastic settlement in Munich before the city's official foundation in 1158. 
  Nearby St. Peter the Gothic hall-church Heiliggeistkirche (The Church of the Holy Ghost) was converted to baroque style from 1724 onwards and looks down upon the Viktualienmarkt, the most popular market of Munich.
  The Frauenkirche (Dom zu unserer Lieben Frau – Cathedral of Our Lady) is the most famous building in the city center and serves as cathedral for the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. The Frauenkirche was constructed from red brick in the late Gothic style within only 20 years from 1468. Also the late gothic churches of the churchyards of St. Peter and of the Frauenkirche, the Kreuzkirche close to the Sendlinger Tor and St. Salvator nearby the cathedral still exist. The former gothic Augustinerkirche next to the Frauenkirche today houses the German Hunting and Fishing Museum. 
  The nearby Michaelskirche is the largest renaissance church north of the Alps. The church was built by William V, Duke of Bavaria between 1583 and 1597 as a spiritual center for the Counter Reformation. In order to realise his ambitious plans for the church and the adjoining college, Duke Wilhelm had 87 houses in the best location pulled down, ignoring the protests of the citizens. 
  The eldest Baroque church of the inner city is the Karmelitenkirche at Promenadeplatz, which was constructed shortly before the Italian baroque was introduced in Munich under Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy. The Italian court architects such as Enrico Zuccalli and Giovanni Antonio Viscardi then controlled the architecture in Munich for several decades. The Theatinerkirche (1663–1690) is a basilica in Italianate high baroque which had a major influence on Southern German baroque architecture. Its dome dominates the Odeonsplatz. Other Italian baroque churches in the inner city which are worth a detour are the Bürgersaalkirche (1709) and the Dreifaltigkeitskirche (1711–1718).
  St. Anna im Lehel by Johann Michael Fischer was the first rococo church in Bavaria (1727–1733). The Damenstiftskirche St. Anna was built in 1733 by Johann Baptist Gunetzrhainer. The Asamkirche was endowed and built by the Brothers Asam from 1733, pioneering artists of the rococo period. 
  With the 19th-century architectural revival styles many new Catholic churches were constructed also in Munich. Since Middle Franconia whose population is predominantly of Protestant origin was annexed by Bavaria the first Protestant churches St Mathaeus, St. Martin and St. Lukas in Munich were erected in this period as well. Among the neo-romanesque churches are St. Anna im Lehel, St. Maximilian and St. Benno in Neuhausen. At the east side of the river Isar three large neo-gothic churches were constructed: The Maria-Hilf-Kirche in der Au, St.Johannis in Haidhausen and the Kreuzkirche in Giesing. The largest neo-gothic church is St.Paul at Theresienwiese. Among the neo-renaissance churches is St.Ursula in Schwabing and the largest neo-baroque churches are St.Margaret in Sendling and St.Joseph in Schwabing.
  On 9 November 2006 the new Ohel Jakob synagogue was opened on Sankt-Jakobs-Platz, 68 years after the massive Kristallnacht pogrom  .
  A new mosque is planned not far from the city center on a vacant lot. An Islamic prayer house still exists in the vicinity but the plans for a bigger and more representative building face to face with a Catholic church are discussed controversially.
caption: Asam Church
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