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Marienplatz Reviews

Marienplatz 8, Munich, Germany 80331
Description: Once home to markets, tournaments and executions in the middle ages, Marienplatz, also known as St. Mary’s Square, remains the thriving heart of old Munich, and a popular spot for sightseeing and people watching. The hig...Read More
  • #4 most popular
    thing to do in Munich
  • Avg. User Rating:
    5 out of 5 stars

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  • Marienplatz and Pedestrian Area

  • 4 out of 5 stars
    LenR from Townsville
  • March 16, 2007
  • Best of IgoUgo
Quote: Marienplatz Photo - Marienplatz, Munich, Germany Most of central Munich is a pedestrian zone and this makes it a great place for meeting, sightseeing, and people-watching. The heart of the area is Marienplatz. Named after the column of the Virgin Mary at its center, the Marienplatz is one of the most famous parts of Munich. It is a centerpiece for the city’s Founding Festival as well as for Fasching celebrations and the popular Christmas market.

The square is famed for its neo-Gothic Town Hall (Rathaus), whose mechanical clock, or Glockenspiel, plays every day at various times. The facade of the Rathaus is amazing but the appearance is misleading. The Rathaus was not built in the middle ages as it might seem, but in the late 19th century - one example of German "Gründerzeit style”.

Everyone visiting Munich must go to, and will inevitably end up at, Marienplatz. As well as the glockenspiel, there is the Old Rathaus to see, and you are just a few steps from the double-domed cathedral and the Viktualienmarkt. In the Middle Ages, the square used to be a market place as well as the place where tournaments and festivities took place. In the 19th century Marienplatz's market moved to the nearby Viktualienmarkt, but the square still functions as the central place in Munich.

Marienplatz is a hub for the Munich S and U-Bahn railway systems and is well within walking distance from the Hauptbahnhof. There are also many nearby drinking establishments (eg. Hofbrauhaus). Keep an eye out for cafes on the second floors of buildings between Karlstor and the Altes Rathaus to escape the hustle and bustle of the area at lunchtime while still being able to people-watch.

Marienplatz and other parts of the pedestrian zone are a great place to see entertainers and street theatre. This area is lively both day and night and crowds gather to watch artists, entertainers and other activities. Locals and visitors appear to mix easily and there is something for everyone. While we were there we enjoyed a popular local entertainer playing tunes on a piano.

Just around the corner is Frauenkirche, known as the Dom. That is a real piece of medieval architecture and a very dominant one and is probably the best known symbol of Munich. You might want to step inside - right at the entrance is a bizarre example of a tomb monument for a Habsburgian ruler. Frauenkirche is gigantic but has a "romantic" touch that sets it apart from the high spires of many late Gothic churches.
From journals Exploring and Enjoying Munich
  • Marienplatz

  • 4 out of 5 stars
    Ed Hahn from Hong Kong
  • February 23, 2006
  • Best of IgoUgo
Quote: Northwestern Corner of Marienplatz  Photo - Marienplatz, Munich, Germany I believe that the main squares of major European cities should be designated as tourist destinations. The Marienplatz, in the heart of Munich, is no exception. It’s a fascinating place to hang out. In the Middle Ages, the square was a market place, as well as a tournament site, and headquarters for festivals. The market is no longer there, but the square still functions as the central jumping-off point for going anywhere in Munich.

The square was named after the Mariensäule, built in 1638 to celebrate both the victory over the invading Swedish army during the 30 Years' War, and the end of the plague. The golden Virgin Mary is standing on a crescent moon atop the 11-meter high column. It was the first such column north of the Alps, and inspired similar monuments in Prague, Vienna, and elsewhere.

Though the square is named after Mary, it is dominated by the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) on its northern side. This monumental, 79-meter high, Flemish Gothic-style building took 42 years to build and was finished in 1909. Its mechanical clock, or Glockenspiel, plays every day at 11am, and noon, year-round, and 5pm in the summertime. As the chimes ring out, doors open, and figures emerge and begin to dance. The Glockenspiel celebrates two events from Munich's past. The colorful dancers are doing the Schafflertanz, or dance of the coopers—this to memorialize the end of the Black Death plague in 1517. There is also a reenactment of a famous tournament held for the royal wedding between Wilhelm V and Renata von Lothringen, that took place in Marienplatz in 1568. The Bavarian knight (blue-white) wins the joust against the Austrian (red-white) every time. A rooster at the top crows three times after all the bells stop ringing. The Glockenspiel was installed in 1903, and rebuilt after WW II.

The Gothic style Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) still stands near its successor. It was completely destroyed during WW II, but rebuilt afterwards. It now houses a toy museum, which Tom and I skipped in favor of having a beer at the open-air restaurant in a courtyard in the New Town Hall. There are also a number of restaurants and cafes around the square. I understand that the Glockenspiel Cafe, on the fifth floor of a building just opposite the Town Hall, is the best place to watch the Glockenspiel “show.”

There is also an interesting fountain, the Fischbrunnen (Fish Fountain) on the western side of the square. Just beyond the fountain you will find the Gothic Frauenkirche, with its dual onion-domed towers. We found out too late that one of the towers has an elevator, which leads to an excellent view over the city.

Since Marienplatz is the center of the Alstadt (Old Town), and the hub of the U-Bahn and S-Bahn train system, you can easily get anywhere you want to go from there, walking or riding. It is also a great place for people-watching.
From journals Melancholy Munich

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  • Marienplatz

  • 5 out of 5 stars
    akakd from
  • August 23, 2003
Quote: Small section of Neues Rathaus; New Town Hall. Photo - Marienplatz, Munich, Germany Our first stop was the Marienplatz w/ the beautifully ornate Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) & the Alter Rathausturm (Old Town Hall). The "New" Town Hall was built between 1867-1909. Beyond it, rising steeply to the sky, the distinctive copper onion domes of the Frauenkirche. Time your visit to the Marienplatz for 11 a.m. or 5 p.m. for the Glockenspiel Performance. Then head over to the Hofbrauhaus (Beer Hall), a short walk away.
From journals Munich Sparkles
  • Marienplatz

  • 4 out of 5 stars
    Tolik from Tampa
  • June 30, 2002
Quote: Munich Photo - Marienplatz, Munich, Germany Stroll along the Marienplatz - the Munich`s hub. And the heart of the Altstadt. Platz is dedicated to the patron of the city, whose golden statue atop a huge column stands in the center of the square. On its north side is the Neues Rathaus (New City Hall) built in 19-th century Gothic style.
From journals Munich, Bavaria

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  • Marienplatz

  • 4 out of 5 stars
    barcodex from Tallinn
  • October 29, 2001
Quote: Marienplatz Photo - Marienplatz, Munich, Germany Two main things to see in Munich are, of course, Marienplatz (Mary's square - main square) and Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). On most postcards you find either Dom or Townhalls (`old` and `new`), the only exception I can admit is Octoberfest, but it is a seasonal thing, and mostly a cultural event, not the city sightseeing.

Marienplatz is a magneto - all tourist roads lead to this square. I returned to the square twice while walking in random directions :) Townhalls, both old and new are located here, and besides that, Marienplatz is a place where main shopping streets meet. The square becomes especially crowded three times a day, when clocks in a Townhall's tower are ringing with a small show (Clocks are known as Glockenspiel), but it is hard to say when there are no people at all on the square, because of the centric location and the fact that the tourist information office can be found on the ground floor of the Townhall. Read more about Townhalls on a specific page!


From journals Bavarian Capital

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