Fantastic view and a lot of city history

The New Town Hall: Viewpoint, architecture, glockenspiel and more

One of Munich's most impressive buildings, the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) on Marienplatz offers fantastic views of the city from its tower. Furthermore, the famous glockenspiel attracts huge crowds every day.

Adresse und Öffnungszeiten

Marienplatz 8 , 80331 München

Ausblick über den Marienplatz und die Dächer der Stadt
ExposureToday / Pixabay.com

The New Town Hall at a glance

  • Where can you find it: Located in the very heart of Munich on Marienplatz, the New Town Hall can hardly be missed - not least because of its size.
  • Year of construction and architecture: Completed in 1905, the New Town Hall was built in the then popular Neo-Gothic architectural style. The architect, Georg von Hauberrisser, submitted his design when he was only 25 years old.
  • Function as city hall: Over 600 city employees work in the 400 rooms of the building, which can be viewed not only from the outside. Many historic rooms are open to the public, and the mayor's office may also be visited on special occasions.

Highlights:

  • The panoramic view from the observation tower
  • The glockenspiel and the exterior facade show Munich's city history.
  • The balcony of the New Town Hall is Munich's most popular place for sports teams to celebrate winning a title. FC Bayern, for example, has been a regular guest in recent years, turning Marienplatz into a giant party zone.

Law library and interiors

 Juristische Bibliothek
Anette Göttlicher

The Law Library measures almost ten meters high and is one of the most beautiful libraries in the city:

  • Especially the gilded spiral staircases and the large shelves, reflect the floral Munich Art Nouveau style.
  • It has a total area of 120 square meters and is located in the original "book collection of the municipal colleges".
  • It is available to all citizens.

The interior of the town hall also shows a lot of granite and marble as well as the magnificent meeting rooms, the messenger and committee room and the room 200. It is also called the Hauberrisser room and is one of the few still original preserved official rooms, including furniture.

The Glockenspiel - Munich City History

Glockenspiel im Rathausturm am Münchner Marienplatz
muenchen.de/Leonie Liebich

A well-known spectacle that no one should miss: Every day at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. - plus at 5 p.m. from March to Oktober - the glockenspiel in the tower of the city hall causes big crowds at Marienplatz.

It shows important scenes from Munich's history, like the wedding of Duke Wilhelm V to Renate of Lorraine in 1568. But you also get to see the famous "Schäfflertanz" dance, celebrated by the barrel makers in order to lift the spirits of the people of Munich after a severe plague

Every evening at 9 p.m., the Münchner Kindl is put to bed to the music of Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms - accompanied by a night watchman and the Angel of Peace. Incidentally, the carillon is powered by solar energy and, with its 43 bells, is the fifth largest in Europe. In total, all the bells weigh about seven tons.

Exciting tours and exhibitions

Das Neue Rathaus am Münchner Marienplatz
muenchen.de/Leonie Liebich

Those who want to get exciting insights into the history and architecture of the New Town Hall should not miss the guided tours: 

  • When: English speaking tours of Town Hall take place on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m.. German speaking tours are available on Fridays at 6 p.m., Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
  • Where: The meeting point is located at the Tourist Information in front of the City Hall at Marienplatz ten minutes before each tour.
  • TicketsTickets can be purchased online here or at the Tourist Information - online order is recommended. A tour ticket costs 18 euros per person.
  • Also: Exhibitions are held regularly in the former cashier's hall, now called the Town Hall Gallery. Thematically, these are based on the city, its inhabitants and its history.

At the invitation of the city: Munich's sports stars celebrate here

Michael Nagy / Presseamt München

The balcony of the New Town Hall is certainly the most famous balcony in the city. This is because FC Bayern Munich celebrates its successes here at the invitation of the city. Thousands of fans then gather on Marienplatz and cheer the team. The FCB women's team has also celebrated its titles here. The same applies to TSV 1860, which celebrated its promotion to the Bundesliga in 1977 with its supporters in the center of Munich.

The exterior facade: figure play and history

Der Münchner Marienplatz
muenchen.de/Leonie Liebich

The impressive facade of the New Town Hall measures almost a hundred meters and shows many ornaments and interesting figures: For example, you can find the city founder, Henry the Lion, plus many former rulers from the Wittelsbach dynasty.

At the corner to Weinstraße, a mighty dragon reminds us of the threat posed by the plague. At the very top of the city hall, a statue of the city's symbol "Münchner Kindl" (Munich Child) enjoys a spectacular view of Munich.

The state courtyard

Innenfassade des Neuen Rathaus
shutterstock_174484835

You can get to the state courtyard from Marienplatz as well as from Weinstraße:

The mosaic of its floor forms a huge labyrinth.
The Staircase of Ages, on the west side of the courtyard, symbolizes the different stages of life: from the little boy to the hunchbacked old man.

When a visit is particularly worthwhile

  • Once a year the City Hall Clubbing takes place: On Christopher Street Day, you can celebrate wild nights at Marienplatz.
  • Only every seven years, however, the dance of the Munich Schäffler takes place.
  • You want to admire the New Town Hall and Marienplatz from above? Then it's worth climbing up to the Old Peter.

Accessibility in the New Town Hall

The following Town Hall rooms are accessible without barriers (in german):

  • Großer Sitzungssaal
  • Kleiner Sitzungssaal
  • Grütznerstube
  • Ratstrinkstube

At a glance

New Town Hall

Marienplatz 8
80331 München

Tel: +498923300