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Obelisk on Karolinenplatz

About

The Obelisk on Karolinenplatz is a striking 29‑metre bronze‑clad monument at the heart of Munich’s Maxvorstadt district. Commissioned by King Ludwig I and designed by Leo von Klenze, it was erected in 1833 to commemorate the 30,000 Bavarian soldiers who died during Napoleon’s ill‑fated Russian campaign of 1812, when Bavaria was allied with France. Its darkened surface symbolises mourning, while ram’s head motifs on the plinth evoke Roman military tradition. Set within the circular Karolinenplatz, laid out in 1809 by architect Karl von Fischer and named after Queen Karoline of Baden, the obelisk forms a key visual axis along Brienner Straße. Surrounded by lawns and seasonal flowerbeds, it offers a quiet space for reflection amid the city’s bustle, standing as both a memorial to sacrifice and a landmark of Munich’s neoclassical urban design.

Munich Germany

Location

The Obelisk stands prominently at the center of Karolinenplatz in Munich’s Maxvorstadt district, positioned where Brienner Straße intersects Barer Straße. This 29-meter black monument, designed by Leo von Klenze and erected in 1833, commemorates 30,000 Bavarian soldiers who died in Napoleon’s Russian campaign of 1812. Karolinenplatz itself is a star-shaped square modeled after Paris’ Place de l’Étoile, acting as a roundabout encircled by tram lines and radiating roads. Nearby landmarks include the Amerika-Haus with its cultural exhibitions and library, the Munich Stock Exchange, and the Nazi Documentation Center. A short walk leads to Königsplatz, home to major museums like the Glyptothek and the State Museum of Classical Art, and further to Odeonsplatz and the Residenz Palace. The area blends historic and cultural attractions with green spaces and grand neoclassical architecture, making it a vibrant destination at the heart of Munich.

Obelisk on Karolinenplatz

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