Marienplatz, the heart of Munich

Stand beside the golden column. Ever since the city was founded in 1158, this has been its central market: the two main streets crossed here. In 1315 Ludwig the Bavarian decreed that the space should stay free of buildings for ever, and so it has.

1The Virgin’s column

During the Thirty Years’ War, Prince-Elector Maximilian I vowed a pious work if Munich and Landshut were spared. Swedish troops occupied the city in 1632 but did not destroy it. In 1638 the Mariensäule was unveiled, with a golden Virgin probably sculpted by Hubert Gerhard around 1593. At the base, four cherubs battle four beasts: the lion of war, the basilisk of plague, the dragon of famine and the serpent of heresy. The column was the zero point for Bavaria’s roads. The square has been called Marienplatz since 1854, when the city entrusted itself to the Virgin during a cholera epidemic.

2The town hall and its Glockenspiel

The Neues Rathaus, by Georg von Hauberrisser, went up in stages between 1867 and the early 20th century. Its tower holds the Glockenspiel, which has been playing since 1909: 43 bells and 32 almost life-sized figures that show, on the upper level, the tournament held for the wedding of Duke William V and Renata of Lorraine in 1568 and, below, the coopers’ dance.

In the tournament, the Bavarian knight in white and blue always unseats the knight of Lorraine.

Across the square, the Altes Rathaus, built by Jörg von Halsbach (1470–1480), was the seat of the city council until 1874. Its tower was rebuilt after the war and now houses a toy museum.

3What to look for

• The four cherubs at the base of the column and their beasts.
• The Münchner Kindl, the little monk who crowns the town hall tower.
• The Fischbrunnen, the fountain with bronze figures in front of the town hall.