Marienplatz

The pedestrian-only Marienplatz is at the center of Munich—both literally and figuratively—and is bordered by a variety of historic structures and shopping markets. In the middle of the square is St. Mary’s Column (Mariensaule), topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary, and a trip up to the top of the New City Hall (Neues Rathaus) tower offers panoramic views of Munich—on clear days, you can see all the way to the Bavarian Alps.

Historic city tours often begin at Marienplatz, and most bike tours, walking tours, and city sightseeing tours pass through the square as well.

• Head to Marienplatz at 11am, 12pm, or 5pm (in summer) to watch the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel’s 43 bells and 32 figures perform their song and dance.

• The best views of the Glockenspiel show are from the top floor of the Hugendubel bookstore and the Café Glockenspiel.

• While there are some flat cobblestones, Marienplatz is widely wheelchair-accessible.

• For the quintessential Munich experience, be sure to visit a hofbrauhaus (beer garden) close to the square.

Marienplatz is located in the heart of Munich’s Old Town. All of Munich’s major landmarks are easily accessible from the centrally located Marienplatz subway station.

Marienplatz is a public square and is accessible year-round; however, the various businesses and attractions on the square have individual opening hours. During the holiday season, one of Munich’s most celebrated Christmas markets is held on the plaza. In summer, the square hosts viktualienmarkt (farmers markets) and musical buskers.

At the top of the Neues Rathaus’ tower is the famous Glockenspiel clock. Every day it chimes at 11am and noon, as well as 5pm in summer. The Glockenspiel portrays two stories from the 16th century, with the top half of the clock acting out the marriage of the local duke (Wilhelm V) to Renata of Lorraine and the bottom half telling the story of the Schafflertanz, or Coopers’ Dance. Legend says that Munich’s coopers danced through the streets during the plague of 1517 to bring vitality to the city.