Marienplatz and the New Town Hall
Marienplatz · Neues Rathaus · Munich (old town centre), Germany
Munich's central square since 1158: the Glockenspiel in the New Town Hall tower re-enacts a 16th-century wedding and the coopers' dance.
Know before you go
- It gets crowded during the show, so watch your belongings
- don't climb the railings around the Mariensäule
- don't cycle through the crowds on the pedestrian street
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
A vow made in wartime: the Mariensäule
During the Thirty Years' War, the Elector Maximilian I vowed to erect a column to the Virgin Mary if the ducal cities of Munich and Landshut were spared from war. In 1638, to celebrate the end of the Swedish occupation, the Mariensäule was raised in the middle of the square, topped by a golden statue of the Virgin made in 1590 that originally stood in the Frauenkirche. It was the first Marian column of its kind north of the Alps.
Source: Wikipedia: Marienplatz
Legend
The coopers' dance after the plague
The lower level of the New Town Hall Glockenspiel shows the coopers' dance (Schäfflertanz). It is said that after a severe plague ended in 1517, the coopers danced in the streets to encourage frightened residents to come out of their homes again. Traditionally the dance is performed every seven years during Carnival; by 1700 it was already recorded as an 'old custom', though today's steps were only fixed in 1871.
Source: Wikipedia: Rathaus-Glockenspiel
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Marienplatz has been Munich's main square since 1158, where medieval markets and tournaments were held; it got its present name only in 1854. The Mariensäule in the middle was erected in 1638 to mark the end of the Swedish occupation in the Thirty Years' War. The tower of the New Town Hall on the north side houses the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, installed in 1908, with 43 bells and 32 life-size figures: the upper level re-enacts the 1568 wedding and tournament of Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine, and the lower level the coopers' dance.
Local customs
- When the Glockenspiel plays the square fills with people
- the show lasts about a quarter of an hour and ends with the little golden rooster at the top crowing softly three times
Religion & beliefs
The golden Virgin on the Mariensäule is revered as the 'Patrona Bavariae', protector of Bavaria.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- It gets crowded during the show, so watch your belongings
- don't climb the railings around the Mariensäule
- don't cycle through the crowds on the pedestrian street
Locals appreciate DO
Munich residents appreciate visitors who disperse after the Glockenspiel and don't block the town hall entrance and pedestrian street.
Plan your visit
Practical info
| Best time | When the Glockenspiel plays |
|---|---|
| Time needed | 1 hour |
Travel tips
- Show times are as published by the town hall
- the Viktualienmarkt and the Frauenkirche are within walking distance
- you can climb the town hall tower for a view over the square
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