Walhalla is a memorial hall in Germany, that was modeled on the Greek Parthenon Temple.
It's located near Regensburg in Southern Germany and the sight is surrounded by stunning nature, making it a must-see if you are in the vicinity.
What is Walhalla?
The vast, detailed replica of a Greek temple commemorates all the great German people throughout the ages.
It goes back as far as 2000 years into history, with busts and plaques of notable warriors, scientists, composers, rulers, traders and more.
The personalities don't only include people from Germany. Instead, the collection extends to various individuals who spoke the German tongue in Europe.
That also means places that were part of the German-speaking areas, including regions such as Hungary, Russia, and even Great Britain (Anglo-Saxon heritage).
Both, men and women's busts and plaques are displayed, and currently in total you will be able to see about 130 busts and 65 plaques if you visit the hall of fame.
Look out for Ludwig van Beethoven, Nicolaus Copernicus, Maria Theresia empress of Austria, Martin Luther (reformation), Albert Einstein, Johannes Gutenberg (printing press), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the unknown German Nazi resistance fighters.
King Ludwig I of Bavaria came up with the idea as he rose to become the 2nd ruling king of Bavaria.
He was a passionate fan of Greek architecture and Greek art in general. Several other buildings were built on his request in the Neo-Greek style in Munich, including the Ruhmeshalle, which specifically honors all Bavarians, behind the Lady Bavaria statue.
King Ludwig I even went so far as to get his son Otto to become the king of Greece.
Generally, the people in the 19th century had a thing for emulating styles from previous centuries. (e.g., Neuschwanstein castle)
And, this is how a copy of a Greek temple, filled with the greatest of the greatest, ended up in the German countryside on a hill overlooking the Danube river.
Visiting Tips
The Walhalla memorial hall is located on a hill overlooking the Danube river, near a village known as Donaustauf. It's a 20-minute eastward drive from Regensburg, a beautiful medieval city.
I highly recommend getting there early morning just so that you can soak in the view and early sun rays. We have seen people taking wedding photos in this location.
You can take the bus to Donaustauf Walhalla. We arrived by car and paid for the parking a few Euros. A few steps up, and you are facing Walhalla from the eastern side.
The visit to the structure itself is free of charge, just the access to the brightly lit marble hall of fame costs about $5 per adult.
In the summer months, April to October, they are open from 9 am to 6 pm. Check the winter hours because they adjust the visiting times during the colder months.
That said, the stairs to the Danube river can be accessed anytime. You will also get a fantastic view of the structure if you go on the other side of the river.
It's quite a sight to see a random Greek temple structure in the middle of nowhere in Germany.
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