William V, Duke of Bavaria, built the church as a Counter-Reformation spiritual center. Groundbreaking was on April 18, 1583, though the text says the foundation stone was laid in 1585, and it was consecrated on July 6, 1597. The first stage followed the model of Il Gesù in Rome. The tower collapsed in 1590 and destroyed the new choir, which led to a larger second phase by Friedrich Sustris.
The article calls it the largest Renaissance church north of the Alps. It is 257 feet (78.2 m) long, 67 feet (20.3 m) wide and 93 feet (28.2 m) high. The barrel vault spans more than 66 feet (20 m) freely, and was the largest vault in the world apart from St. Peter's Basilica.
World War II heavily damaged it, and it was restored from 1946 to 1948. The Jesuits run it, and its crypt holds the tombs of Bavarian rulers including Ludwig II.
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