The year of von Miller's ascension was fortunate, as it coincided with King Ludwig's commission of Ludwig Michel Schwanthaler's immense statue of Bavaria. As a personification of his country, Schwanthaler (1802-1848) created a sixty-foot-high statue of a female, clothed in the classical Greek attire, holding a crown of laurel leaves in her left hand. Bavaria's right hand is at her side holding a sword, and a lion sits next to her. The statue, intended to be the largest bronze ever cast, required that a tall wooden building be constructed next to the foundry to house the huge model. The production and casting of the model between 1845 and 1848 brought international prominence to von Miller and his foundry. As is common with large models that are to be sand cast, Schwanthaler's huge plaster was cut into smaller pieces for mold making. A special pit was built for casting the sculpture. To provide the necessary metal for casting, bronze cannons were melted down in the "schmelzraum." When the molten metal was released, it ran down a chute and filled the mold.

The colossal Bavaria is shown below in front of the temple of the Ruhmeshalle, or Hall of Fame. Inside the statue is a winding staircase that ascends to a chamber in her head. This chamber is decorated with cast bronze ornate couches, and can hold 2-3 people. The statue looks out over the Theresienwiese, where the annual Oktoberfest is held.