One of the most visited places in Munich is the main square called Marienplatz. This has been the main square for close to 1000 years. When you first come up from the train station near Marienplatz you are greeted by a crowd of people. The train station has a lot of stores in it also, so make sure you look around down there. You can walk towards the gates which will take you to Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel.
If you want to see the Glockenspiel in action be sure to arrive on time. It goes off at 11 AM and 5 PM daily and from March to November it also goes off at noon. I will get back to the Glockenspiel shortly.
Walking down the sidewalk towards the main square you will see lots of shops. Shops to the left of me, shops to the right of me, stuck in the middle with you. Sorry, that song just popped into my head. Just in case you were wondering the song is Stuck In The Middle With You by Stealers Wheel. I knew the song but didn’t know who sang it. Back to the main street. You can do all kinds of shopping here. This is a typical European pedestrian walk. You have high and low-end stores and all the shopping you can imagine. Plus you have your performers on the sidewalk from a guy playing the accordion to your typical statue people.
On this day the flowers were in full bloom and I had to stop and take photographs. Photographs of them, and me with them. If you are lucky enough to have a beautiful day like we did, please stop and smell the flowers.
You can go to St Michaels Church which is the largest Renaissance church north of the Alps. I needed a wider lens because I could not get the entire church in and I was about as far back as I could go.
If you live where I am from you would be glad to know there is a street in Munich called Augustine Street. It was like being home again (we live in St Augustine, Florida).
The square is very large and there are many places to watch The Glockenspiel come to life. There were plenty of people waiting around for the clock to strike noon. Though I might suggest if you are sensitive to noise bring earplugs. There are at least three churches nearby and all the bells go off at once. I can’t even imagine living that close to the square and having the bells go off every hour.
There are many unique statues and things to take photographs in the square. You can also see people still dressed in lederhosen. Yes, there were a lot of people who still wear them. Especially for bachelor and bachelorette parties and walking tours.
When the Glockenspiel finally starts the show lasts for approximately 15 minutes. There are 43 bells, the heaviest weighing 1300 lbs. There are also 32 life-sized figures. There are 2 parts of the Glockenspiel. The top half tells the story of the marriage between Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine. There is also a joust that takes place with knights on horseback. Spoiler alert the Bavarian jouster dressed in white and blue always wins. After the top half finishes, the second half starts. This depicts a dance called the Schäfflertanz. This is a dance the coopers did during the plague, it was supposed to bring “fresh vitality to fearful dispositions”. At the end a cuckoo comes out and chimes. This signifies that the show is over.
While you are here you need to walk over to Hofbräuhaus am Platzl this brewery is state-owned and is one of the oldest breweries and the largest in Munich. Hitler used to hold meetings here with his National Socialist Party and Mozart lived around the corner and used to visit. (We didn’t go in this time but ate here the last time we were in Munich).
So while you are in Munich make sure you watch the clock and go and see The Glockenspiel and Marienplatz, shop, enjoy the people watching and stop into Hofbrauhaus for a beer or two.