Hercules Hall, Concert hall in Münchner Altstadt, Germany.
The Herkulessaal is a concert hall inside the Festsaalbau wing of the Munich Residenz, built in 1951–1953 by Rudolf Esterer in a monumental Neoclassical style. It seats 1,270 and has 180 standing places. The hall contains a four-manual organ by G. F. Steinmeyer & Co., rebuilt in 2017/18 with 79 stops.
The hall occupies the site of the throne room of the Festsaalbau, the wing Ludwig I had built toward the Hofgarten. That wing was bombed in 1944, and after the war the 19th-century interiors were not rebuilt. When Munich's Odeon concert hall was lost, Rudolf Esterer built the new Herkulessaal here between 1951 and 1953.
The hall is named after a series of tapestries depicting the Hercules legend, commissioned in 1565 by Duke Albrecht V and woven in Antwerp for the banquet hall of his palace in Dachau. They hung in the hall until 1993, when printed copies replaced them.
The hall sits in the heart of the old town and is easily accessible on foot. Visitors should check event schedules beforehand to plan their visit accordingly.
The hall's name comes from a series of 16th-century tapestries depicting the Labours of Hercules, commissioned by Duke Albrecht V in 1565. These hung in the hall until 1993, when they were replaced by printed copies. The organ, built by G. F. Steinmeyer & Co. in 1962, was renovated in 2017/18 and now has 79 stops.
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