Marienplatz is Munich’s central square and a natural starting point for exploring the old town. Its defining sight is the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), whose elaborate neo-Gothic façade stretches along the square’s northern edge. Beneath its tower, commuters, shoppers and visitors move through a space that has been a civic gathering place for centuries.
The square takes its name from the Mariensäule, a column topped by a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary. Erected in 1638, it commemorates Munich being spared destruction during the Swedish occupation in the Thirty Years’ War. At the eastern end stands the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), a contrast to its grander neighbour and home to a toy museum.
The New Town Hall’s Glockenspiel is Marienplatz’s biggest crowd-puller. Its bells and moving figures re-enact scenes from Munich’s history, including a 16th-century wedding celebration and a traditional coopers’ dance. Come in December and the square takes on a different character, with wooden stalls and lights filling the Christkindlmarkt.
Marienplatz station sits directly beneath the square and is served by U-Bahn and S-Bahn trains. The Glockenspiel plays at 11am and noon year-round, with an additional 5pm performance from March through October; arrive a little early for a good view. Keep bags close in the busiest crowds, then linger at a café or explore the streets leading away from the square.