Elector Carl Theodor

Born at Schloss Drogenbusch near Brussels on 11 December 1724.

Died in Munich on 16 February 1799.

When Carl Theodor (also: Karl Theodor) succeeded Elector Max III. Joseph in 1777, he relocated his official residence from Mannheim to Munich and focused intensively on redesigning the city. He had the Englischer Garten built in 1789 – one of the first large landscape gardens open to the public. Like his predecessor, Carl Theodor dedicated himself to promoting the arts, sciences and education. A gallery of paintings which was opened to the public, too, was also established in the Hofgarten under his reign.

Elector Carl Theodor had already acquired Porzellanmanufaktur Frankenthal in 1762 and for the rest of his life he preferred their products to Nymphenburg’s porcelain. Shortly after his death, the Frankenthal production site was affiliated with Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg.

Today, the Karlstor and Karlsplatz commemorate his reign, which Duke Max IV. Joseph from the Palatinate-Zweibrücken line of the Wittelsbach family was to continue as elector.

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