Brienner Straße (Munich)

The Brienner Straße starts at Odeonsplatz on the northern fringe of the Old Town close to the Residenz, and runs from east to west passing Wittelsbacher Platz and the circular Karolinenplatz and finally opens into the impressive Königsplatz, designed with the "Doric" Propylaea, the "Ionic" Glyptothek and the "Corinthian" State Museum of Classical Art, behind which St. Boniface's Abbey was erected.

The Obelisk at Karolinenplatz was built in 1833 by Leo von Klenze as a memorial for the 30,000 Bavarian soldiers who lost their lives during the French invasion of Russia.

The opening in the middle of the Brienner Strasse for the new circular road Altstadtring after World War II severely disturbs the ensemble.

As a beautiful and monumental place, the Königplatz was used during the Third Reich as a square for the Nazi Party's mass rallies and two "Honor Temples" (Ehrentempel) were erected at the east side.

[1] In March 2009, Munich Mayor Christian Ude announced that a team of architects from Berlin had won a competition to design the new Third Reich documentation center.