Palais Holnstein, Baroque city palace in Munich's Old Town, Germany

Palais Holnstein is a Baroque city palace in Munich's Old Town with four wings surrounding a central courtyard. The building spans three stories with nine window bays and features a curved central section topped by a gable.

François de Cuvilliés built the palace between 1735 and 1737 for Franz Ludwig Graf von Holnstein, the natural son of Elector Karl Albrecht; other sources name Holnstein's mother, Sophie Caroline von Ingenheim, the elector's mistress. Since 1818 it has belonged to the state, and since 1821 it has served as the residence of the Archbishop of Munich and Freising, the first being Lothar Anselm von Gebsattel. A renovation from 2008 to 2012 cost 8.7 million euros, of which the Free State of Bavaria paid 6.5 million.

The palace has housed the Archbishop of Munich and Freising since 1821; Lothar Anselm von Gebsattel was the first to live here. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, resided in it from 1977 to 1982 and stayed again during his September 2006 visit. Archbishop Reinhard Marx occupies three rooms today, so the interiors remain closed to visitors.

The palace is visible from the street and located centrally in the Old Town, easily reached on foot. Public access inside is limited since it functions as a private residence, but you can appreciate its architecture from outside.

This is the only aristocratic palace in Munich that has completely preserved its original room layout from the 18th century. This unchanged interior arrangement makes it a rare example of authentic Baroque living organization.