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 Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.