Alte Pinakothek

The Alte Pinakothek (German: [alt pinakotek] , Old Pinakothek) is an art museum located in the Kunstareal area in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses a significant collection of Old Master paintings. The name Alte (Old) Pinakothek refers to the time period covered by the collection—from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. The Neue Pinakothek, re-built in 1981, covers nineteenth-century art, and Pinakothek der Moderne, opened in 2002, exhibits modern art. All three galleries are part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, an organization of the Free state of Bavaria.

The Alte Pinakothek was the largest museum in the world and structurally and conceptually well advanced through the convenient accommodation of skylights for the cabinets. Even the Neo-Renaissance exterior of the Pinakothek clearly stands out from the castle-like museum type common in the early 19th century. It is closely associated with the function and structure of the building as a museum. Very modern in its day, the building became exemplary for museum buildings in Germany and in Europe after its inauguration in 1836, and thus became a model for new galleries like the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, and galleries in Rome, Brussels and Kassel. King Ludwig I of Bavaria ordered Leo von Klenze to erect a new building for the gallery for the Wittelsbach collection in 1826. Georg von Dillis, gallery inspector and close confidant of Ludwig I, influenced the project through conservation requirements and practical experience from museum operations. The construction period lasted from 1826 to 1836. The Alte Pinakothek is a free-standing solid building measuring 150 meters in length, 50 meters in width, and 25 meters in height. The narrow central building is flanked to the east and west by broader wings. The one-meter-thickmasonry was faced with yellow, polished bricks. Although the south façade was designed as the main façade, the entrance was located on the east side of the building. A gateway on the south side divided the building into two identical halves. After damage to the paintings occurred in 1841 due to the installed air heating system, endless discussions about the preservation of the building, along with insufficient financial means for maintenance, led to a gradual deterioration. The installation of a new heating system in 1891 improved the overall condition of the Alte Pinakothek. At the same time, the gypsum floors were replaced with parquet, and the skylights received new glazing. At the beginning of the 20th century, electric lighting was introduced for the first time, and isolated technical modernizations were carried out.9 During the Nazi era, the building was used for propaganda purposes – including exhibitions that were staged within ideological programs.

The museum building was severely damaged by bombing in World War II: the walls were burnt out, and a 45-meter-wide hole remained in the center. The area in front of the south façade was used as a rubble depot. After long disagreement about the viability of reconstruction, it finally began in 1952 under the direction of Hans Döllgast and was completed in 1957. It was reopened to the public on 7 June 1957, with President Theodor Heuss attending. Director Ernst Buckner oversaw the rebuilding project, ensuring that the building remained true to its original architecture. The ornate, pre-war interior, including the large loggia facing the south façade in the upper floor, was not restored. In the 1990s, the building underwent a fundamental renovation and modernization under the direction of Winfried Nerdinger. Between 1994 and 1998, the climate control system was renewed in particular to meet the conservation requirements of the artworks. At the sa

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