Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall, the German name for: Neues Rathaus) is a magnificent neo-Gothic building of brick and stone that takes up almost the entire Northern part of the Central square of Munich (Marienplatz) and dominates the square.
Address new town hall: Marienplatz, 8.
Conveniently located in Marienplatz, New town hall - the first thing that catches the eye and seems to stand up and be considered the facade of the New town hall can be infinitely long.
The new city hall was built in three stages, between 1867 and 1909 under the leadership of the German-Austrian architect Georg von Hauberisser. The architectural style of the buildings was the Gothic revival style, very popular at the time - at the turn of the century.
The impetus for the construction of the New town hall was that the city expanded and, accordingly, increased the number of officials who at that time sat in the walls of the Old town hall, located a few dozen meters from the future New town hall. Currently, the Old town hall still in its original location on Marienplatz. New town hall took place where once stood the medieval buildings.
Currently, the New town hall is a complex of buildings with courtyards, and is an architectural dominant of the square and one of the most impressive buildings in Munich, which, by law, crown jewel and one of the landmarks of the city.
The town hall is the seat of the mayor and the headquarters of the city Council of Munich.
In addition, the walls of the hall are: hall of the exhibition centre; visitor centre; café and shops located on the first floor of the town hall; and at the top of the town hall tower has an observation deck, granting its guests a 360 degree view of Munich.
Main (overlooking Marienplatz and having almost 100 metres in length) and West side (facing the street weinstraße / Weinstraße) facades of the New town hall, designed in neo-Gothic style originally.
The facades are richly decorated with turrets, carvings, figures of Bavarian princes and Dukes, starting with the founder of the city of Henry the Lion and ending with almost full line representatives of the Wittelsbach dynasty, and the legendary characters, saints, gargoyles and mighty dragon Vurmak reminding about the threat of plague.
Side (Western) facade of the New town hall
The other two facades of the town hall: East side (street Dienerstrasse / Dienerstraße) and rear (street Landschaftstrasse / Landschaftstrasse) less catchy and impressive. On the first floor are located shops and cafes.
The main facade of the town hall is decorated with protruding beyond the walls of the town hall 85-metre town hall tower, the spire of which is crowned by the figure of the "Munich child" (Münchner Kindl), which holds in his left hand the gospel and the right blesses the city.
The figure was created by Anton Schmid, a model was his nine year old son Wiggers (Ludwig Schmid-Wildy).
At the top of the clock tower is the famous glockenspiel (Rathaus-Glockenspiel). The Carillon are the fifth largest in Europe. They was first performed in 1908.
Daily moving figurines clocks located at the top of the Bay window, playing 15 minute presentation: when the musical sound of 43 bells which together weigh about 7 tons, open window hours, and at two sites figures act out scenes from the history of Munich.
On the top platform hours shows the wedding of Duke Wilhelm V with Renata of Lorraine, celebrated in February 1568. In honor of the newlyweds on the Marienplatz has passed knightly tournament, where the Bavarian knight triumphed over his opponent from Lorraine.
The lower part shows the hours dance of the Coopers (Seplantec / Schäfflertanz), once signifying the end of a terrible plague. They say that after a severe plague (1517) manufacturers of barrels first ventured to return to the streets of the city and dance in order to cheer up people who are afraid of the plague.
The presentation clock runs at 11:00 and 12:00 hours, and from March to October and another at 17:00 and abbreviated at 21:00. Attention! Presenting the chimes may vary, please specify the information directly before visiting.
A short video of the repose clock
At the top of the town hall tower, above the dial clock is 360-harusnya viewpoint, granting a wonderful panoramic view of Munich and the surrounding area, including the Marienplatz square and the old town as a whole.
Climb the lookout at two elevators. First, the Elevator to the 4th floor of the town hall (you can also walk up the stairs), then a ticket office that sells tickets, again, use the Elevator directly to the observation deck.
The observation deck is surrounded by bars. There are signs with information about what is seen from the observation.
Views of the Front courtyard of the New town hall
View of the Marienplatz
View of the Old town hall, Marienplatz, St. Peter's Church and Church of the Holy spirit
In the tower-the bell tower of St. Peter's Church, located close to Marienplatz, there is a circular observation deck, which offers stunning views, including the New town hall. Read more about St Peter's Church and the viewing platform of the Church...
View of the Frauenkirche - the city's main Cathedral (in the Cathedral's tower has an observation deck)
Ticket price to the observation deck in the tower of the New town hall:
- 4 € full ticket;
- 3 Euro for children up to 18 years, students, pensioners and groups of 10 or more people;
- free children up to 6 years.
Tickets can also be purchased at the tourist information office in the town hall.
In the complex of the New town hall are six courtyards connected by passages.
The most interesting courtyard is the main courtyard (Der Prunkhof) is the largest of the courtyards. This yard is located in the southwestern part of the complex. Enter the yard from the Marienplatz. Admission is free (complimentary).
In summer, the yard with the outdoor Seating of the restaurant "Ratskeller München" and at Christmas time the perimeter of the busy Christmas tents. Here you can see the magnificent Nativity scene, which was first developed in 1954, after restored and consists of 33 pieces, some of which are Alpine, and some to the East, and 28 animals.
On the Western side of the courtyard is a tower - the so-called "Ladder of the ages" (Treppe der Lebensalter), which are the figures of such number of persons, symbolizing different stages of life: from a small boy to hunchback of an old man.
In the walls of the old town hall has more than 400 rooms, including conference rooms and a legal library with an area of 120 sq. m.
Inside the hall an abundance of granite and marble, corridors, hallways and Grand staircase, meeting rooms, room for couriers and committees, Hauberrisser room and a memorial room.
Some halls of the city hall available for free visits to open days. Internal corridors and staircases can be viewed almost all year round. You can also visit the town hall with private tours. Learn about tours and costs on the site: rathausfuehrung.
Photo of corridors, staircases, stained glass Windows and old frescoes on the wall
A memorial room was established in 1958 on the ground floor of the Marienplatz, in the same place, where after the First world war, there was a memorial room, and which was destroyed during the Second world war.
In the room are two stone panels located on the sides near the mosaic Windows, which are reminiscent of those who died in the two world wars, and those who suffered political persecution during Nazism. Cube altar in the center - memorial-memory of the dead.
Large meeting room with a painting by Karl Theodor von Piloty "Monachia" 1869-1879 gg pattern Sizes: 6×17 m.
A small room for meetings of the town Council with a painting of William Lindensmith "the Coronation of the Monarchy - the rise of Munich under Ludwig I in art and science" (1888).
Hall, exhibition center, operating since 1979, was previously the ticket hall, now an Art gallery called "Gallery hall" (Rathausgalerie).
The hall has an area of 650 sq. m. with five aisles and placed under a glass dome height of eight meters. The center of the room is decorated with a fountain.
In the hall regularly hold various exhibitions, thematically based on the city of Munich, its history and inhabitants.
On Christmas eve, the gallery hosts an exhibition of Nativity scenes.
The address of the gallery of the city hall Munich: Marienplatz, 8. Entrance from street Landschaftstrasse (Landschaftstrasse).
Information about exhibitions can be found on the website: Rathausgalerie.
