Cathedrals and Catholic Art

Bavaria is a devout Catholic state. Berlin has two huge churches, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche and Berliner Dom, as its landmarks, but Munich has a much stronger presence of religion and traditions of faith that can be seen, heard, and felt at every corner of the city.

I tried to visit as many cathedrals in Munich as possible, and here are some of the pictures I took in the cathedrals I visited.

Frauenkirche

 

Teufelstritt or Devil’s Footstep

 

 

Asamkirche

St. Peter

 

Theatinerkirche

St. Michael

After the bombings during WW2

Although I am not a Catholic, I truly appreciate the sheer beauty of the design of the cathedrals and innumerable works of religious art in them. Every sculpture, painting, and stained glass conveys a unique story and adds to the significance of the place of worship it belongs to. I find it quite impressive that the artworks do not remain simply as artifacts from the past, but form the spiritual experiences and constitute the culture of present day, therefore continuing Bavaria’s strong Catholic identity. I am looking forward to coming back to Germany next spring for a semester abroad in Heidelberg and looking at the local places of worship and comparing them to those in Munich and other places in Germany.