St. Peter

St. Peter, known locally as ‘Alter Peter’, is a Roman Catholic parish church and an architectural landmark in Munich. Its recorded history reaches back before Munich became a city in 1158.

The church began in Bavarian Romanesque style, later received Gothic additions, and required reconstruction after the 1327 fire. A Renaissance steeple and Baroque choir mark changes made in the early seventeenth century.

Inside, a high altar with Saint Peter by Erasmus Grasser stands among Gothic paintings by Jan Polack. Ignaz Günther created additional altars inside the church. Johann Baptist Zimmermann’s ceiling fresco adds another documented work to the interior, restored around the turn of the millennium.

The church tower rises 91 metres above Munich. Its viewing platform offers panoramic views across the city and, in clear conditions, towards the Alps. Historic bells include examples dating from the thirteenth century, connecting the building with its earlier phases.

War damage led to careful restoration, preserving the church’s layered Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque character. Its architecture shows several periods within one Munich church. The recorded property also identifies St. Peter as wheelchair accessible.