Benno Column

Slender column monument from 1910 in front of St. Benno Church in Maxvorstadt — honouring Munich's patron saint, designed by Bestelmeyer and Albertshofer.

The Benno Column stands on a small square southeast of the parish church of St. Benno in the Maxvorstadt district, honouring St. Benno, patron saint of Munich. The monument was unveiled in 1910 — the overall design by Munich architect German Bestelmeyer, the figurative work by sculptor Georg Albertshofer, cast by Ferdinand von Miller. The slender column with its sacred figure is a typical example of ecclesiastical monument-making during the Wilhelmine era in Bavaria. It marks the entrance area to the St. Benno parish, a lively congregation in the heart of Munich's university quarter. For most passers-by it is a quiet piece of street furniture — look more closely and you find craftsmanship and a slice of Munich's devotional history.