Bavaria Statue

Monumental bronze statue from 1850 on Theresienwiese — Bavaria's patron figure, climbable to the head, and the centrepiece of the Oktoberfest grounds.

The Bavaria is the towering bronze figure on Munich's Theresienwiese and the feminine symbol of the Free State of Bavaria. Standing 18.5 metres tall and weighing around 87 tonnes, she ranks among the largest bronze castings of the 19th century anywhere in the world. Ludwig Schwanthaler designed the figure, and it was cast in 1850 by Ferdinand von Miller at the royal bronze foundry — an engineering feat achieved in five sections assembled on site. The Bavaria stands with a lion at her side and an oak wreath in her raised hand. Inside, a spiral staircase leads up to the head, which offers a sweeping panorama across Munich. Behind her stands the Hall of Fame (Ruhmeshalle) with busts of celebrated Bavarians. Today she is one of the city's most recognisable landmarks and the focal point of the Oktoberfest grounds.