Ruin of the Residence in Munich May 1945. The Munich Residence lies in ruins in May 1945. Once the magnificent centre of Bavarian rule, large parts of the palace are now burnt out, facades torn down, roofs collapsed. Window cavities yawn empty, charred beams protrude from the walls. The magnificent courtyards and halls, whose ornate ceiling frescoes and decorations seem irrevocably lost, are particularly badly scarred.
Between the ruins lie piles of rubble, broken stones and remnants of former splendour. But despite the massive destruction, some parts of the building still stand – as silent witnesses to a bygone era and as a hope for reconstruction.