Marienplatz Munich

Marienplatz or Mary's Square is the heart of the city of Munich. It has been at the thick of things ever since the city was founded by Henry the Lion in 1158. In the Middle Ages, the square used to be a market place as well as the place where tournaments and festivities took place.

Marienplatz was named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column erected in its centre in 1638 to celebrate the end of Swedish occupation. It is home to Munich's old city hall, and the new city hall. Its 260-foot tower with carillon is, with St. Peter's Church and the twin towers of the Cathedral, one of the most distinctive features of the city's skyline.

The square is dominated by the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus).

The bells in the town hall tower ring at 11am (as well as noon and 5pm in the summer) accompanied by a 'glockenspiel' depicting a medieval dance and the wedding of Duke William V and Renata von Lothringen.

The original Old Town Hall or Altes Rathaus was completely destroyed by fire in 1460 once and again during the Second World War. But it was rebuilt both the times. The Old Town Hall was built in Gothic style of architecture.

The last part, the tower, was completely rebuilt in 1972. It now houses a toy museum, which traces the history of toys from the early 19th century toys up to the current modern toys.

You can hang out in a book store or buy clothes here. You can check out the department store or go shopping for classical CD’s, jewellery, crystals, or even mobile phones.
Marienplatz is at the very heart of the pedestrian zone of Munich. The crowds get the heaviest at 11am, 12pm and 5pm when the Glockenspiel in the center of the Neues Rathaus puts on a bit of a show.

It is now a tourist attraction where people from around the world flock to marvel at the gothic facade of the town hall.

For further information click onto the links below:
The New Town Hall
Glockenspiel
The Old Town Hall
Toy museum
Shopping