Munich City Hall. The new town hall in Munich is a fairy tale come to life. Opening hours of the New Town Hall in Munich

New Town Hall in Munich (Germany) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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Truly the seat of Munich's city government, the New Town Hall is a stunning example of the neo-Gothic architectural style. Even if architecture is not your thing, you will certainly be fascinated by the huge 100-meter facade with a lot of characteristic Gothic elements, which, it seems, can be pricked even by looking at it! You will also be greeted by an abundance of sculptures of historical figures, folklore and religious characters and as many as 6 courtyards with well-groomed flower beds and comfortable benches. The 85m-high town hall tower, equipped with an elevator, offers magnificent views of Munich, and on its façade a fantastic show of mechanical puppets takes place three times a day.

It is from the New Town Hall that it makes sense to start getting acquainted with Munich: it is not only one of the main attractions of the city, but also the location of the Munich Tourism Office, where travelers will be provided with a ton of useful information.

A little history

With the expansion of Munich's borders and the increase in the number of city government officials, the Old Town Hall became too cramped in the 19th century. There was a need to move the city hall to a more spacious building, but there was no suitable space among the existing buildings. Then in the 1860s. it was decided to build a new building. Construction began in 1867 and continued intermittently until 1909, but the city hall moved to the New Town Hall already in 1874. The architect of the project was Georg von Gauberrisser; He based it on the neo-Gothic style that was current at that time, with its sharpness of Gothic lines brought to the maximum and the careful inclusion of details of other styles. A distinctive feature of the appearance of the New Town Hall was the abundance of sculptures, a string stretching along its main facade, and an almost record-breaking tower of 85 meters in height for those times.

On the tower of the New Town Hall, at 11:00, 43 clockwork bells begin to chime, and 32 human-sized figures act out scenes from the life of Munich.

What to see

The new town hall in Munich appears to invariably delighted tourists with an abundance of interesting details. The first thing to do is to enjoy the view of the 100-meter facade, which, due to numerous reconstructions of the town hall, is actually made up of 5 separate buildings with their own unique appearance. Everything here is beautiful: the recognizable Gothic lancet windows, the arches stretching upward, and the abundance of sharp spiers and turrets. Numerous cafes and restaurants found their way into the ground floor arcade. On the spire of the 85-meter tower, it is worth seeing the figure of the “Munich baby”, holding the Gospel with one hand and blessing the city with the other; at its foot are statues of the first four Bavarian kings. Along the facade of the town hall there are sculptures of Bavarian dukes, kings of the Wittelsbach dynasty, folklore characters and saints.

The interiors of the New Town Hall brilliantly maintain the splendor of the neo-Gothic style - it seems as if you are under the arches of a huge temple. Of the 400 rooms with a total area of more than 9 thousand square meters. Only a tenth of m is open to the public, but this is quite enough to appreciate the richness of the interior with its wood carvings, abundance of gilding and stone decorations.

You should definitely find yourself in front of the façade of the town hall tower at 11:00 - 43 clockwork bells begin to chime, and 32 human-sized figures act out scenes from the life of Munich: knightly tournaments, processions of heralds, folk dances. In summer the performance is repeated at 12:00 and 17:00.

Practical information

Address: Munich, Marienplatz, 8.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00, in summer - until 19:00.

Entrance and lift to the tower - 2.5 EUR, children - 1 EUR. Prices on the page are as of November 2018.

Hello, friends! Another grandiose object awaits our attention. This is the new town hall in Munich. Anyone who has seen the Munich City Hall will not at all doubt the grandeur of the structure. The New Town Hall delights not only with its neo-Gothic grandeur, but also with its fascinating performance accompanied by the chimes, episodes of which I tried to record. Now let's see what came of it.

In this article:

Exterior view of the new town hall in Munich
Courtyard and exhibition hall of the town hall
Chimes and puppet show

Exterior view of the new town hall in Munich

Town halls of European cities are often the most significant objects. But if this is not the most, most architectural masterpiece of the city, then it is definitely one of the main ones. I saw a magnificent one. I was impressed by the garden in the northern Czech town of Liberec. Almost everyone has heard of Prague City Hall. And the new town hall in Munich amazed me with its scale.

The new town hall occupies the entire northern side of Munich's main square - . First, let’s take a look at the town hall to fully appreciate this architectural masterpiece:

If we stand in front of the town hall, then in this case we are looking at its right wing. Behind these walls, balconies and Gothic windows are 400 offices at the disposal of the city council.

The tallest part of the building, the neo-Gothic tower, is offset from the center and is much taller than the other parts of the town hall. Construction of the building began in 1867 and took 42 years, and all this time the debate continued whether it was necessary to erect such a high tower in the central square of the city that could compete with the towers of cathedrals. Despite the opposition of many townspeople, the beautiful tower stretched to its full 85-meter height, and no one today doubts that it adorns the square:

I find it difficult to say from what point this object should be photographed so that it fits completely into the frame. Our only hope is in the observation platforms located on high towers, which are located a few steps from Marienplatz. But no matter what corner of the square you go to, the almost hundred-meter-long building can only be photographed in parts.

The tower of the town hall can be conveniently viewed from under the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral, rising opposite:

From such a height, the spire of the neo-Gothic tower is almost at eye level. If you have a good camera with you, there is a chance to capture the main character of the town hall. The figure crowning the spire is called the Munich Baby. The baby with the Gospel in his hands looks down and blesses the inhabitants of Munich.

In general, one cannot help but notice how many sculptures are placed on the walls of the new town hall. It seems that the town hall has become another Wittelsbach museum, only in this case the sculptures are located in the open air.

If the Residence near Marienplatz and the royal museums are open, where numerous sculptures of representatives of the Wittelsbach royal family are exhibited, the new town hall provided wall projections and balconies as pedestals.

At the base of the tall tower is the entrance to the inner courtyards of the town hall.

The town hall building is divided into six courtyards. Let's look into at least one of them to have an idea of the internal structure of the town hall.

Courtyard and exhibition hall of the town hall

Having examined the luxurious facade of the new town hall, I stopped in front of a colorfully decorated arch leading to the courtyard of the building:

The courtyard is fenced off from the square by the wide walls of the town hall and is a small square. Since the building is tall, you find yourself in a stone well like this:

It was I who had already crossed the entire courtyard and photographed the main tower of the town hall, standing on the steps at the entrance directly to the building.

I liked the door so much, reminiscent of some kind of fairy-tale mysteries, that I could not deny myself the pleasure of seeing what was hidden behind this door. And the situation, indeed, is shrouded in a certain mystery, because the deserted courtyard of the town hall contrasts so much with the square filled with people that you inevitably prepare for any surprises)))

Behind the door was a spacious corridor. Taking a left, after several passages I found myself in a spacious and bright exhibition hall:

The hall was deserted both in terms of visitors and exhibits. Several paintings of modern artistic movements on the walls, a few voluminous works - that’s all the exhibition material. But I really liked the hall itself - elegant architectural design, beautiful lighting:

Probably, you could travel around the town hall and look into the halls and offices. Typically, such buildings have magnificent premises, which are a real treasure of the country. But I decided to limit myself to visiting the exhibition hall and continue exploring the city - watch and listen to the chimes at the appointed time.

Chimes and puppet show

I really wanted to see what kind of exciting action unfolds on the balconies of the main tower of the town hall several times a day during the chimes. I had already heard about this Munich performance, and ours was thought out so that we would have the opportunity to be present in the central square of Munich at the time when the city chimes sounded.

The chimes of the new Munich City Hall play four different melodies. They sound all year round at 11.00 and 12.00. And in the period from March 1 to October 31, another time is added - 17 hours.

But it’s not so much interesting to listen to the chimes as to watch the performance that unfolds on this malachite-colored balcony:

The clock is equipped with 43 bells and 32 copper figures cast in full human size. The puppets at the town hall first perform the show on the upper tier of the balcony. Accompanied by the ringing of chimes, a real historical fact is depicted in 1568, when a tournament of knights took place in Munich, organized in connection with the marriage of the Bavarian Duke William V and the Duchess of Lorraine.

On the lower tier of the same balcony you can see the dance of the coopers, also symbolizing a historical event - the end of the terrible plague that struck the city’s inhabitants in 1515-17. The coopers spin in a dance led by a choreographer or choreographer standing at the back of the balcony, or whatever dance specialists were called several centuries ago:

But by the way, I’m struggling to describe in words the action that you can watch. I recorded part of the performance, but I’ll warn you right away that the quality is very poor. By the beginning of this performance, I had already bought Bavarian souvenirs, I had to hold them and at the same time record what was happening. And controlling the camera with one hand for about ten minutes is very difficult. Therefore, friends, do not judge the would-be cameraman harshly, but just watch the wedding knightly tournament and the dance of the coopers:

The entire performance lasts more than ten minutes. This is much longer than the sound of the Prague chimes. Needless to say, the new town hall in Munich offers more interesting entertainment for visitors to Marienplatz. But thanks to the short duration of the process, I made the recording in Prague quite efficiently))

Perhaps, I have outlined all my impressions that the new town hall in Munich made on me. Like many of you, I have seen this landmark in photographs many times before, but in reality the building is much more impressive with its power and grandeur. There is no need to say that travelers visiting Munich need to visit Marienplatz and see the town hall with their own eyes. Because this is the square that no guest of Munich will miss. Rather, you can make appointments here)) Well, let's meet in Munich under the chimes of the new town hall, friends!

Your euro guide Tatyana

The neo-Gothic building of the New Town Hall is located in the very center of the Old Town - on Marienplatz Square. Work on its construction lasted more than 40 years (1867-1909). Many Munich residents were unhappy with the height of the town hall tower (85 meters) - they were afraid that it would overshadow the grandeur of the city cathedral. But that did not happen.

The facade of the building is decorated with numerous sculptures of Bavarian dukes, kings and electors, mythological characters, and many gutters in the form of mythical creatures.

On the tower of the New Town Hall there is one of the main attractions of the Bavarian capital - the famous striking clock. They strike exactly at 11 a.m., and from May to October also at noon and 5 p.m. At the same time, you can observe the rotation of the figures on two tiers: on the top one depicts the tournament of 1568, organized on the occasion of the marriage of Duke William V and the Princess of Lorraine, and below - figures of coopers whirling in a dance, celebrating the end of the plague epidemic that struck the city in 1515-1517.

Address: Germany, Munich
Start of construction: 1867
Completion of construction: 1908
Height: 85 m
Coordinates: 48°08"16.4"N 11°34"32.7"E

Content:

Short description

Millions of tourists every day go on exciting and exciting, fascinating and amazing journeys, get acquainted with the sights, architectural monuments and mysterious legends, myths and scientifically proven facts associated with them.

View of the Town Hall from the observation deck of St. Peter's Church

Curious travelers are interested in various tourist destinations and, I must say, many of them are truly amazing. However, in this material we will talk about a country whose indigenous population is known to the current generation for their punctuality, restraint and pedantry. Probably, from the above words, you can easily guess that we are talking about Germany. More precisely, about its landmark, called the New Town Hall.

Germany, for numerous travelers, has been one of the most popular tourist destinations for several decades now. It has been competing with Italy for quite some time with its forums and incomparable fountains. Of course, among the variety of architectural monuments that exist in almost any German city, the New Town Hall, located in the very center of Munich on a square called Marienplatz, deserves special attention. A majestic building of extraordinary beauty, made in the neo-Gothic style, takes the breath away of everyone who barely finds themselves on the famous Munich square. Indeed, this building fascinates travelers, and it is worth adding that the New Town Hall in Munich is beautiful both in the light of the sun’s rays and extremely beautiful at night, when hundreds of special spotlights are turned on, illuminating even its smallest architectural elements.

Town Hall facade

New Town Hall - history

Despite the apparent “oldness”, the New Town Hall in Munich is a rather “young” architectural structure, which, in principle, becomes clear from its name. The construction of the Town Hall began in the mid-19th century, namely in 1867 on the initiative of the Munich City Council. And, it must be said that long before the end of construction in 1874, the Munich city council decided to quickly move from the Old Town Hall to the New Town Hall, located on a nearby street. In general, the construction of a new building in the very center of Munich in the neo-Gothic style lasted until 1908, and for another year (until the end of 1909), its individual parts were completed and expanded. In total, this unique architectural structure has 400 rooms of different sizes and purposes, in which more than 600 people currently work.

For all tourists who come to Marienplatz, it will be interesting to know that for the construction of the New Town Hall, almost thirty residential buildings were demolished on the square, which, naturally, was greeted by the indigenous population, to put it mildly, unkindly. However, the Bavarians were also concerned about the height of the Town Hall tower: in their opinion, the 85-meter tower with a spire decorated with the figure of a baby should in no case “eclipse” the main city cathedral - the Frauenkirche Cathedral (its height is 99 meters ).

Town Hall Tower

However, when passions calmed down a bit, and the Town Hall was rebuilt, the townspeople got used to the new building, and today the New Town Hall in Munich is nothing more than one of the main attractions of the capital of Bavaria. Going back a little in time, it is necessary to add that the development of the New Town Hall project and its implementation were entrusted to the then famous architect Georg Hauberisser, who was the first to use neo-Gothic elements in the urban planning of Munich.

The facade of the Town Hall, which is a combined complex of buildings, constantly attracts the attention of tourists, and this is not at all accidental. The thing is that the facade of the monumental structure, reaching a height of almost 90 meters, is decorated with sculptures of historical figures and characters from numerous German legends. Here you can see counts and Catholic saints, dukes and kings from the ancient Wittelsbach dynasty, chimeras and other mythical characters. Incredibly, all the details of the building are thought out to the smallest detail: even seemingly simple drainpipes, the purpose of which is to “collect” rainwater, have a fantastic shape. An attentive visitor to the city will be able to guess the outlines of some mysterious and fabulous creatures in the gutter.

carillon

Unlike the Old Town Hall, in which the transition from floor to floor was carried out by stairs, the New Town Hall has an elevator. With the help of technological progress, today you can easily climb to the highest point of the tower and from a bird’s eye view observe all the splendor that opens to every guest of the Bavarian capital.

At the beginning of the 20th century, when the construction of the New Town Hall was almost completed, a unique clock mechanism, a carillon, was installed in the tower itself. Even today it inspires admiration among all tourists without exception. Once a day in winter and three times in other seasons, along with the ringing chimes, 32 puppet figures “come to life” on a special two-story balcony, which for 15 minutes entertain the gathered crowd with small performances from the history of the city of Munich. Among the “actors” are Duke William V with his wife Renata of Lothargin; Bavarian knights and their opponents; local residents performing their dances to the sound of 43 bells. By the way, the Munich figures moving to the beat of the chimes occupy an honorable fifth place among “their own kind” in Europe.

New Town Hall through the eyes of a modern tourist

What can a traveler see once inside the New Town Hall in Munich? Of course, this is a play of light on polished granite and marble, which were widely used as finishing materials during the construction of the building. Visitors to the Town Hall are invited to explore the Great Meeting Hall, on one of the walls of which there is a painting, impressive in its size, by the artist Karl Pilotis “Monachy”, which is translated from the “dead” Latin language and means the name of the city - “Munich”. Opposite the largest room is a gallery that introduces guests to the features of public meetings, which are depicted in numerous paintings. In addition, every tourist can visit the Small Meeting Hall and see firsthand all the luxury and splendor for which this room is famous with its oak ceiling and chandelier with 24 arms cast in bronze. You can also see a unique library, occupying 2 floors. Its area is just over 120 square meters. meters. There, even today, most of the exhibits included in the priceless collection of books are located on ancient massive shelves made of high-strength and durable wood.

Munich's New Town Hall (das Neue Rathaus) is where the Munich City Council, Mayor and city administration meet.

The new town hall is located in the heart of Munich - on Marienplatz square. The New Town Hall is one of the city's most famous tourist attractions.

The architecture of the New Town Hall is unique, in the New Gothic style. Although, as its name already implies, it was built relatively recently - in 1905, thanks to the then fashionable desire for “historicism”, the town hall looks like a medieval castle.

At the end of the 19th century, the Munich city government became cramped in the building of the Old Town Hall. In this regard, a competition was announced to design a new town hall. The choice fell on the project of the young architect Georg von Hauberrisser - at the time of its creation the author was only 25 years old - who proposed creating a monumental building in the New Gothic style. The city authorities liked Heuberisser's idea because of its Gothic theme, since it was during the Gothic period that Bavaria flourished. In addition, the project paid tribute to all the rulers of the duchy, and, most importantly, to its current one, the prince regent.

To implement his ambitious project, 22 historic buildings on the northern part of Marienplatz had to be demolished. The facade of the New Town Hall from the Marienplatz side stretches for almost 100 meters. The pointed triangular arches, windows, and turrets characteristic of Gothic are decorated with stone lace. The main facade features sculptures of almost all the dukes and kings of Bavaria, as well as the figure of the father - the founder of the city - King Henry the Lion. In the central doorway stands a sculpture of Prince Regent Leopold on horseback, then the de facto ruler of Bavaria. On the façade facing Weinstrasse, a huge dragon reminds of the terrible threat of the plague.

Approximately in the left third of the building, it is as if divided into two asymmetrical halves by a tower, 85 meters high, with a clock. It is thanks to this clock with 43 bells and moving figures that the New Town Hall is one of the most popular attractions in all of Munich.

Interesting facts: The clock on the tower of the New Town Hall is the fifth largest in Europe in terms of size.

The 43 bells of the New Town Hall clock together weigh seven tons.

The entire mechanism of the clock with the play of bells and moving figures is powered by solar batteries.

When the chimes strike three times a day, the bells begin to play, and the figures on two levels of the tower come to life. The figures on the upper level reproduce a 14th-century event - the wedding scene of Elector William V and Renata of Lorraine, which took place in 1568. Their son, Maximilian I, would later install the Column of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the square, giving the square its current name.

In honor of that magnificent wedding, among other things, a knight's tournament was organized. The scenes on the clock reproduce this holiday, all the more joyful because the Bavarians won then, as, indeed, to this day, and continue to do so, thanks to the clock.

The second level of the clock features dancing figures of cheflers and barrel makers. This is a reminder of another historical event - the terrible plague epidemic that threatened to wipe out the entire population of the city has receded, and now we can celebrate and rejoice again.

At nine o'clock in the evening another performance takes place on the clock - accompanied by the night guard and an angel, the child goes to bed - this is the Munich Kindel, a character from the epic and the city's coat of arms.

The bells play the music of Wagner (Richard Wagners "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg") and Brahms (Johannes Brahms "Wiegenlied)".

More than 600 employees work in the premises of the New Town Hall. There are six courtyards and a total of 400 rooms.

Despite the fact that the city parliament still operates in the New Town Hall today, many of the town hall’s premises are open to the public - even the mayor’s office, although this office is only used once a year - on an open day. The main entrance to the New Town Hall is located opposite the Fish Fountain. The lobby of the New Town Hall is decorated with granite and marble. Of interest are the historical Small and Large meeting rooms, as well as the legal library hall, which occupies two entire floors on an area of 120 sq.m.

There is a restaurant in the Town Hall basement (Ratskeller). The ceilings and walls of the restaurant are decorated with a humorous painting by Heinrich Schlitt entitled “If Beer and Wine Had a Competition.”

The courtyards of the New Town Hall are also very picturesquely decorated in the new Gothic style.

In summer, cafes and restaurants pop up here. And in winter, you can see a labyrinth-like pattern laid out on the floor. There is an opportunity to train your spatial orientation abilities.

The balcony of the New Town Hall is a cult place for fans of the Munich football team. Bavaria München has been winning all three conceivable titles for several years in a row - they are champions of the Bundesliga, winners of the German Cup and the Champions League Cup. Every year at the end of the football season, the entire team is invited to a reception at the New Town Hall, and, to the joyful cries of the crowd of fans filling the entire Marienplatz, they go out onto the balcony to greet the people and enjoy their triumph.

Ticket price

adult – 3 euros,
children from 6 to 18 years old - 1.5 euros,
children under 6 years old - free.

Tours of the interior of the New Town Hall:

in German -

adult – 10 euros per person,
children from 6 to 18 years old - 8 euros per person,
children under 6 years old - free.

Group excursions from 10 to 25 people, including in Russian - 115 euros per group.

Opening hours of the New Town Hall in Munich

Observation platform of the New Town Hall:

from Monday to Friday: from 10.00. until 20.00.,
Saturday: from 10.00. until 16.30.,
Sunday and holidays: from 10.00. until 14.30.

Last rise is 15 minutes before closing.

Closed: January 1, Faschingsdienstag (last Tuesday of Lent according to the Catholic calendar), May 1, November 1, December 25 and 26.

Playing bells at the New Town Hall:

Every day at 11 and 12 o'clock,
from March to October - additionally at 17:00,
at 21 o'clock Münchener Kindl goes to bed.

Tours of the New Town Hall:

Monday, Friday - 15.30.,
Saturday: 11.30. and 13.30.

How to get there

The new town hall is located on the central square of Munich - Marienplatz. You can get to it by any type of transport.

By public transport

By metro (U-Bahn): Lines U3, U6 to the Marien Platz stop.

S-Bahn: Es Bann (S-Bahn) Lines S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8 to Marienplatz stop.

Bus: Routes 52, 132 to the Marienplatz stop.

Tram: Line 19 to Theatinerstrasse stop.

By car

There are several parking lots in the Marienplatz area.

Underground garage Parkhaus am Marienplatz at Rindermarkt 16.

Open 24 hours a day.

Parking cost:

first hour 4 euros,
each additional hour 3.50 euros.
The maximum payment for 24 hours is 30 euros.

Parking lot for 26 spaces at Parkplatz bei Kustermann at Rosenthal 7.

Open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., closed Sunday.

The cost is 6 euros per hour.

Video about the New Town Hall