Welcome to a virtual tour through St. Michael's Church! We hope that you enjoy this special way of exploring our church and become eager to visit St. Michael's in the real world as well.
Please follow this link to start the virtual tour:
https://panorama.erzbistum-muenchen.de/Dekanat-Innenstadt/jesuitenkirche-st-michael-muenchen.html
Some tips for navigating during the tour:
There are four red camera icons hidden around the church. Click on them to access short video films and learn more about life at St. Michael's.
In some other places you might discover red information dots that will reveal additonal background information when you click on them.
You will find a navigation bar at the bottom left of your screen. Its icons will help you move around the room. Brief explanation of their functions will appear when you move your mouse cursor across them. The full range of functions is only available when you access the tour from a PC, laptop or 10" tablet. If you start the tour on your phone, you will only be able to watch the embedded videos.
On the bottom right of the screen you will find a stack of thumbnails. Click on the top picture to fan out the stack and access the various viewpoints directly.
The music that accompanies the tour is from a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach (aria "Up, believers, sing the delightful songs" from BWV 134). Please turn up the speakers of your viewing device (or turn off your speaker if you want to follow the tour in silence).
The tour has been optimized for a 16:9 aspect ratio.
We hope you enjoy the virtual tour and will visit St. Michael's soon!
References:
The texts accompanying the different scenes have been adapted from the following sources:
St. Michael In München, Kunstwerk der Renaissance. Vol., 21, Fall 2018. Logika GmbH, Munich.
Limited edition of 2500 copies. Not available in stores.
Großer Kunstführer Schnell & Steiner, vol. 283. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg. ISBN 978-3-7954-2913-3
Jesuitenkirche St. Michael München. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg. ISBN 978-3-795441500
Music:
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Trio in D minor, BWV 583
from "Opus Bach" Vol. 1 (Farao Classics)
Peter Kofler at the Rieger organ of St. Michael's Church
Video sequences:
Eine Gute Adresse: St. Michael in München. Documentary by Marius Langer from the BR series "Stationen" (incense rite, liturgical instruments and vestments). We thank Bavarian Broadcasting (BR) for their permission to use their material.
The video sequences (organ, confirmation) have been produced by mk-online.de (Das Münchner Kirchenfernsehen des Sankt Michaelsbundes). We thank them for their permission to use the clips.
History of the Building
In 1579 Duke William V took over the reign of Bavaria, about two decades after Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, had agreed to establish a Jesuit College in the Bavarian capital shortly before his death (1556). The duke had been educated by Jesuits himself. In his eyes, the tradition of Renaissance humanism seemed ideal for shaping Bavaria in the Catholic spirit.
Architecture
St. Michael's is the first and largest Renaissance building north of the Alps. For more than two centuries the magnificent church influenced church building in southern Germany. The streets and alleys of Munich were narrow, as in all medieval cities. There was not enough space for admiring grand façades. St. Michael's was the first church in the city that was given such a monumental front wall, a façade (Italian: faccia, face). The new building was not oriented to the east like older churches, although the first plans still had envisaged this traditional alignment. Instead, the church was to be fitted into existing architectural structures of the city.