Inside Walhalla are 132 busts and 65 plaques honoring a range of luminaries who were deemed significant contributors to the culture of German-speaking lands. At the far end is a statue dedicated to the man who dreamed up the monument, King Ludwig l of Bavaria. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
When flights to Athens get too expensive for U.S. military families stationed in southeastern Germany or time is just too short, a closer option offers architecture like that of ancient Greece as well as dazzling views of Bavarian surroundings.
Walhalla might not date from the 400s B.C. like the Parthenon, but this memorial just outside Regensburg shares some of the beauty of the Athenian wonder while being nestled in the hills above the Danube River.
The Walhalla monument’s 358-step marble staircase takes visitors down the hillside the monument is built on. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Finished in 1842, Walhalla derives its name for the resting place of fallen warriors in Norse mythology.
Similar to such other extravagant 19th-century buildings as Neuschwanstein Castle and the palaces of Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee, Walhalla started as an idea in the head of King Ludwig l, who is depicted on a colossal statue inside.
Walhalla was patterned after the legendary Parthenon in Athens. The lavish interior of the monument near Regensburg, Germany, contains an array of statuary. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Walhalla was designed as a hall of fame to honor German-speaking people who made contributions to society. It is now one of the most recognizable memorials in Bavaria and makes for a breathtaking vantage point.
For those interested in learning more about the history and construction of the monument, English and German virtual tours can be downloaded via the Walhalla app.
The Danube River forms the backdrop to Walhalla, a monument near Regensburg, Germany, that was built in the 1840s. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
It costs nothing to take in the majesty of the place from the outside. An entrance fee is charged only to visitors who want to go inside.
Figures whose busts are displayed at Walhalla include Wolfgang Mozart, Immanuel Kant, Martin Luther and Otto von Bismarck. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
The busts and plaques at Walhalla pay tribute to people deemed to have been notable contributors to society in the German-speaking lands. The monument is a hall of fame built by King Ludwig 1 of Bavaria. Busts continue to be added in the present. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Those who do will find 132 busts and 65 plaques of luminaries of German-speaking lands. This list includes rulers, generals, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers and artists.
The Ludwig kiosk at Walhalla has food and drink as well as a seating area, where visitors to the monument near Regensburg, Germany, can relax. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
The hillside next to the monument is also a popular place for family picnics, and having drinks on the 358-step marble staircase on the front side is also a popular pastime.
It takes less than 45 minutes to walk around the site. There is also a variety of hiking trails and a small kiosk with snacks and refreshments.
A combination ticket allows entrance to the nearby Liberation Hall in Kelheim and Prunn Castle in Schlossprunn.
The facade of Walhalla depicts soldiers in the same way as the original Parthenon in Athens does. The scenes can be found on both the front and back of the monument. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)
Address: Walhallastrasse 48, Donaustauf, Germany
Hours: April-October, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., November-March, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m.
Cost: 4.50 euros regular, 4 euros for certain groups, 12 euros for combination ticket
Information: Online: schloesser.bayern.de/deutsch/schloss/objekte/walhalla.htm; +49 9403-961-680.
