The foundation stone for the Old Palace (today’s Parliament Building) was a piece of marble from the Parthenon, which was laid by Otto’s father, Ludwig I of Bavaria, on January 25 1836 to inaugurate the building’s construction. The palace was designed by the architect Friedrich von Gaertner (1792-1847). Even though the royal couple took up residence on July 25, 1843, work on the palace, such as the frescoes, was only completed in 1857.