Bavaria Statue and Hall of Fame

The Bavaria statue in Munich is a huge bronze figure on a hill above the Theresienwiese fairground, in front of the Hall of Fame (Ruhmeshalle). It is one of the more unusual things to do in Munich, because you can climb up inside the statue and look out through slits in her head. If you have already seen the Old Town and want something different for an hour or so, this monument from the age of King Ludwig I is an easy add-on.

What it is and why it matters

Bavaria is the female personification of the region and the state of Bavaria. King Ludwig I paid for the statue himself, sculptor Ludwig von Schwanthaler designed it, and architect Leo von Klenze planned the neoclassical colonnade behind it. It was built between 1843 and 1850 and unveiled on October 9, 1850.

The statue is 18.52 meters (about 61 feet) tall and stands on a plinth of 8.92 meters. It weighs roughly 87 metric tons and is cast in hollow bronze. The head was cast from bronze of Turkish cannons that had been sunk at Navarino in 1827. The Hall of Fame behind it holds 98 busts of notable people, among them Albrecht Dürer, Carl Orff and the mathematician Emmy Noether.

Climbing the statue

You first walk up a wide outdoor staircase of 48 steps. Inside the statue, a spiral staircase of 126 steps leads to a small platform in the head, with four viewing slits facing the Theresienwiese and the city skyline. The last steps are very narrow, and it can get hot inside on sunny days. Two small benches seat six people in total, so expect a wait at busy times. The platform is not wheelchair accessible, and the climb is not suitable for visitors with limited mobility.

Opening hours and tickets (as of October 2026)

The 2026 season runs daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry 5:30 p.m.) until October 19, 2026. From October 20 the statue and the hall are closed for winter; the city's page gives both mid-March and late March for the reopening in 2027. During Oktoberfest the statue stays open until 8 p.m., but the hall is closed.

Admission is 5 euros for adults and 4 euros reduced, and visitors under 18 get in free. Check the current hours before you travel, as the city's page lists different weekly times in one place.

How to get there

The address is Theresienhöhe 16, 80339 Munich. Take the U-Bahn lines U4 or U5 to Theresienwiese or Schwanthalerhöhe station; a bus also stops at Theresienhöhe. Deutschlandticket holders can use Munich's public transport network. From the western edge of the fairground, a large staircase leads straight up to the statue. Plan about an hour for the statue and the hall; this is a rule of thumb, not an official figure.

Nearby

The Theresienwiese below the statue hosts Oktoberfest each autumn. The Bavariapark surrounds the hill, and the Deutsches Museum's transport museum is on the Theresienhöhe.