The Isartor is one of four main gates of the medieval city wall. It served as a fortification for the defence and is the most easterly of Munich's three remaining gothic town gates (Isartor, Sendlinger Tor and Karlstor).
The Isartor was constructed in 1337 within the scope of the enlargement of Munich and the construction of the second city wall between 1285 and 1337 which was completed under the Emperor Louis IV. The gate first consisted of a 40 meter high main gate tower. Only with the construction of the moat wall of the gate tower the two flanking side towers were added and served as barbican. The Isartor is today the only medieval gate in Munich which has conserved its medium main tower and the restoration in 1833-35 by Friedrich von Gärtner has recreated the dimensions and appearance close to the original structure. The frescos, created in 1835 by Bernhard von Neher, depict the victorious return of Emperor Louis after the Battle of Mühldorf in 1322.
The Isartor today houses a humorous museum which is dedicated to the comedian and actor Karl Valentin. A café for visitors has been integrated.
References:The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.