Munich’s Frauenkirche, with its twin domed towers, is one of the city’s most recognizable symbols.
But both the interior and exterior are surprisingly plain, and the effect of the interior, at least, is stunning in its simplicity.
That wasn’t always the plan. The 15th-century church, like many others, has been through many redecorations, renovations and restorations, including a mid 19th-century neo-Gothic house-cleaning that did away with all remaining medieval fixtures.
The renovated and added features of that time were largely destroyed in two World War II bombings and subsequent rubble clearance; when the church itself was restored in the 1950s, today’s simpler style was the result, with only the chancel windows and a few more pieces carried over.
The picture below, of a Wittelsbach royal tomb, gives a hint to past styles.
I can’t guarantee that someday a new wave of renovation won’t come up with a more elaborate scheme, but for now, the result is, as the title says, simply impressive.
