Walhalla Temple

About

Inspired by the famous Parthenon in Athens, this Neoclassical temple is one of the most important German national monuments of the 19th century. After a resounding defeat by Napoleon’s armies, Ludwig I commissioned his favourite architect to create a place of remembrance for German-speaking men and women of outstanding merit. Faced with marble inside and out, and sitting on a massive tiered substructure, the interior is lined with busts and plaques of the ‘Walhalla comrades’: personalities chosen by Ludwig I and his advisors. Since 1962, new busts have periodically been added to the original 96 selection of rulers, generals, scientists, and artists.