Munich - Marien Square

(Local Name: Marienplatz) Marienplatz has been Munich's central square since the foundation of the town. For many centuries, until 1807, it was the market square, and during the Middle Ages it was frequently the venue of knightly tournaments. The present buildings date mainly from the 19th and 20th C.

The dominant feature of the square is the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), a building of overpowering proportions which occupies the whole of the north side. At the east end of the square stands the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), with its reconstructed tower. The massive modern department store at the southwest corner is one of the most controversial of the new buildings in Munich's Old Town. Marienplatz, today boasting some good-sized department stores and several well-known restaurants, is the focus of much of the festive life of the Bavarian capital. Here processions traditionally start and end, and political parties hold their rallies. Always crowded with tourists from every part of the world, it is the stage on which buskers, mime artists and amateur acrobats choose to display their skills. Celebrations reach a crescendo on carnival Sunday when the Narren-Lindwurm (Dragon) dances over the square, also during the summer festivals and at Advent when there is an huge Christmas market.