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Germany: Munich Residenz
The Wittelsbach dynasty ruled the German territories of Bavaria from 1180 to 1918 – that’s 738 years, pretty impressive. Munich Residenz, their former royal palace, is located right in the center of Munich and very much open to the public. After 4 centuries of building it, the giant palace is made up of many styles: late Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Neo-Classicism.
Though spartan on the outside, it is very opulent inside. You can tour it for its architecture, over-the-top room decor (130 rooms), and displays from the former royal collections. After WWII, the Cuvilliés Theatre was built into the Festsaalbau wing. You can also catch the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Hercules Hall. In his time, Mozart performed in this palace.
The Treasury houses the jewels of the Wittelsbach dynasty and spans 1,000 years, from the early Middle Ages to Neo-classicism, and includes: crowns, swords, golden objects, rock crystal, ivory, goblets, icons, tableware and toiletries.
The palace suffered huge damages during WWII, but the curators managed to store furnishings, art and details of its architecture in mines. When you are wandering around the 10 
courtyards, see if you can find this fountain with statues of fire, water, earth and air on its corners.
The Wittelsbach family’s head, since 1996, is Franz, Duke of Bavaria, and he still hangs out in Munich. During WWII, the Wittelsbachs were anti-Nazi and were arrested when Franz was 11. He spent time in several Nazi concentration camps. After the war, he studied at the University of Munich and became a collector of modern art. Some of his collection is on loan to the Pinakothek der Moderne Museum (see other post).
Germany: Munich Modern Art Museum
Haus der Deutschen Kunst (“House of Aryan Art”) was the Third Reich’s first monumental structure of Nazi architecture and a showcase for Nazi propag
anda. It opened July 18, 1937 to highlight what the Third Reich regarded as Germany’s finest art. Since Hitler thought Modern Art was crap, he intended this as an edifying contrast to it.
Ironically, since, 2002, it has housed the the National Collection of Modern and Contemporary Arts and is called the Pinakothek der Moderne.
Just to make sure we get it, crowning the top of the building are 20 words written in Yiddish such as “meshiginer or nudnick” – all words relating to the fact he was a fool.