The future Empress Elisabeth of Austria was born on 24 December 1837 at the Herzog-Max-Palais in Munich. That day, her mother, Ludovika, was planning to spend the evening with her mother, Caroline, when she suddenly went into labour at the Herzog-Max-Palais. The birth happened quickly, and the little one was born with one milk tooth, which was considered to be a good omen.
The palace was built between 1828 and 1830 by Elisabeth’s father, Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria. The building consisted of three stories and was designed by Leo von Klenze. The first floor housed the apartment of Elisabeth’s mother, while the second floor had rooms for the older children. The complex also had two rectangular inner courtyards.
In addition to Elisabeth, her sister Helene was also born at the Herzog-Max-Palais.
The palace was demolished by the Nazis in 1937 to widen the street it was on. The construction of the new building was begun the following year. It wasn’t completed until 1951, and it now houses the Deutsche Bundesbank.
While the original palace no longer exists, Elisabeth’s birthplace is commemorated with a plaque. You can find it at Ludwigstraße 13.
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