Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), Munich (must see)

The Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) serves as the residence of the Archbishop of Munich and Freising. Its iconic twin towers are prominent features of the city and offer breathtaking panoramic views of Munich and the nearby Alps.

This church stands on the grounds where an earlier 12th-century Marian Chapel once stood. In 1468, Prince Sigismund of Bavaria commissioned the construction of a larger temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary, replacing the original chapel. The resulting structure, characterized by its modest yet elegant red brick Gothic design, was the work of architects Jörg von Halspach and Lukas Rottaler. It was completed and consecrated in 1494, and its distinctive twin towers with onion-shaped domes were added in 1525. During World War II, the Frauenkirche suffered significant damage due to bombings, resulting in the collapse of its roof and heavy destruction of the north tower. Following painstaking restoration efforts after the war, the Frauenkirche once again became a popular place of worship in the city.

The remarkable Gothic architecture of the Frauenkirche is marked by its simplicity and dignity, with minimal decorative elements. The nave and chancel are supported by two unadorned octagonal pillars, and the windows are cleverly concealed behind columns, giving the impression of a single window above the chancel. Among the valuable treasures that survived the bombings of WWII are the painting known as "The Protecting Cloak" by Jan Polack and the cenotaph of the Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV, created by Hans Krumpper.

Tip:
As this is the city's mother church, no photos are encouraged in consideration of those who come to pray here regularly.
In the nave of the church, there's the Devil's Footprint or Teufelstritt. If you step in it, you're likely to be engulfed in flames that will hollow your skull and cause your head to shrink, a la Herman Dietrich in "Raiders of the Lost Ark".
Visiting the church is kostenlos (free), but be prepared to pay a small fee if you want to take the lift up the south tower, instead of hoofing it.