She came as a young, vivacious princess from the House of Savoy-Piedmont, from the magnificent Turin to the strict, austere court of Munich: Henriette Adelaide, the bride of the later Elector Ferdinand Maria. To make her new home more pleasing, even Italian, she brought Italian artists and scholars to Munich, and with their help, she profoundly transformed the cultural and social life of the Bavarian residence. The court of the Muses on the Isar became a leading cultural center in Germany. Monuments of her architectural passion, the Theatine Church of St. Cajetan in Munich and the central building of Nymphenburg Palace, testify to her sense of style and taste. Thus, the Baroque style took root in Bavaria, a cultural language that has shaped the region like no other. Kind, intelligent, and deeply religious, Henriette was a valued advisor to her husband.