The Academy of Fine Arts is housed in a three-storey neo-Renaissance building. Founded in 1808 by Maximilian I, it advanced to become one of Europe's leading arts schools in the second half of the 19th century and still has a fine reputation today.
Famous students included Max Slevogt, Franz von Lenbach and Wilhelm Leibl; and, in the early 20th century, Lovis Corinth, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc and others who went on to become modern-art pioneers.