Walhalla, a Greek temple in Germany.

Walhalla, also called the “German Parthenon”, is located in a majestic position above the Danube, near Regensburg. This neoclassical temple-shaped building represents one of the most important and beautiful German monuments of the 19th century.

Perhaps you have already heard this name, because Walhalla would be the “paradise” according to Norse mythology, where the destiny of those who died heroically would be. There, the most noble and fearless warriors, who died on the battlefield, chosen by Odin (the highest-ranking god in this mythology) would enjoy eternal life.

Inspired by this concept, the building was built at the request of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, with the personal desire to immortalize a place of memory for German men and women of extraordinary merits, as an inspiration and point of reference for the future nation. Historian Johannes von Müller was responsible for the initial selection of the personalities to be honored.

The Walhalla began to be built in 1830, under the vision of Ludwig I’s favorite architect, Leo von Klenze (1784-1864), one of the most important neoclassical architects of the 19th century. Klenze’s design was mainly inspired by the famous Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens, dating back to 5 BC. Originally, Ludwig I’s goal was to house the busts of people to be honored in the future, to inspire and bring pride to the Germanic people.

Initially 96 busts were selected, placed along the internal walls of the building, honoring writers, clergy, scientists, warriors and other men and women, chosen by Ludwig I and his advisors. Among the original busts, we can highlight those of Luther, Beethoven and Mozart.

However, since 1962, new busts have been added at intervals of five to seven years, and today we find 130 busts and 65 plaques (the plaques were made for people whose portraits or descriptions were not available to model the sculptures). Albert Einstein was one of the characters in this new wave of honorees, as was Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, responsible for the discovery of the X-ray. The choice of personalities to be honored was the responsibility of the Bavarian Council of Ministers, advised by the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Since 2016, the Walhalla has been managed by the Bavarian Palace Administration.

April – October 9am – 6pm (last entry at 5:45pm)
November – March 10am – 12pm and 1pm – 4pm (last entry: 11:45am and 3:45pm)
Closed January 1st, Carnival Tuesday, December 24th, 25th and 31st.