King Ludwig I wanted to honor the Bavarian Army’s role in the 1813 defeat of Napoleon, so he commissioned a triple-arched triumphal structure to be built on the royal boulevard known as Leopoldstrasse (near Munich University). With a large center arched entryway and two side pedestrian walkways, and inspired by the Arch of Constantine in Rome, it was constructed between 1843 and 1852. This 69 foot tall, 78 foot wide, and 39 foot deep “Victory Gate” is crowned by Bavaria driving a four-lion drawn chariot (the lion was the heraldic symbol for the House of Wittelsbach - the ruling family of Bavaria).
The Siegestor (Victory Gate) was heavily damaged by Allied bombing raids during World War II. While it was scheduled to be demolished in July of 1945, efforts to save it resulted in extensive reconstruction and renovations that brought it back to its original glory.
During season 9 of the “Amazing Race,” The Siegestor was featured as the final pit stop. Today, this Victory Gate is considered a symbol of peace.
If we had not decided to take our exploratory stroll, we surely would have missed this glorious monument, and that would have been a tragedy.