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 View of Marienplatz and theNew Town Hall | |
  Location within Germany | |
| Location | Munich,Germany |
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| Coordinates | 48°08′14″N11°34′32″E / 48.1373°N 11.5755°E /48.1373; 11.5755 |
Marienplatz (English:Mary's Square, i.e., St. Mary,Our Lady's Square) is acentral square in the city centre ofMunich, Germany. It has been the city's main square since 1158.
During theMiddle Ages, markets and tournaments were held in the Marienplatz, which was originally calledMarkth ("market"),Schranne ("grain market") and laterSchrannenplatz ("grain market square"). After the grain market was moved into the modern glass-and-ironSchranne near "Blumenstrasse" in 1853, the square received its new name, starting 9 October 1854.
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Marienplatz was named after theMariensäule, aMarian column erected in its centre in 1638 to celebrate the end of Swedish occupation. Today the Marienplatz is dominated by theNew Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) on the north side, and theOld Town Hall (Altes Rathaus, a reconstructedGothic council hall with a ballroom and tower) on the east side.
TheGlockenspiel in the tower of the New Town Hall was inspired by the tournaments that were held in the square during the Middle Ages, and draws millions of tourists a year. Furthermore, the pedestrian zone betweenKarlsplatz and Marienplatz is a crowded area with numerous shops and restaurants.
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TheMariensäule is aMarian column located on the Marienplatz inMunich, Germany. Mary is revered here asPatrona Bavariae (Latin: Protector ofBavaria).It was erected in 1638 to celebrate the end ofSwedish occupation during theThirty Years' War, following a respective vow byDuke Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria if the ducal residential cities ofMunich andLandshut were spared from war destruction. The column is topped by agoldenstatue of theVirgin Mary standing on a crescent moon as theQueen of Heaven, created in 1590. The figure was originally located in theFrauenkirche.Mariensäule in Munich was the first column of this type built north of theAlps and inspired the construction of other Marian columns in this part of Europe.[1]
At each corner of the column's pedestal is a statue of aputto, created byFerdinand Murmann. The four putti are each depicted fighting a different beast, symbolizing the city's overcoming of adversities: war represented by the lion, pestilence by thecockatrice, hunger or famine by the dragon andheresy by the serpent.
Three weeks before Christmas theChristkindlmarkt opens at Marienplatz and other squares in the city, selling Christmas goods and food and drinks.
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The square is served by theMunich Marienplatz station, offering bothU-Bahn andS-Bahn access.
A new station,Marienhof, will be built to the north of the square, as part of the second S-Bahn tunnel project (Zweite Stammstrecke). The new station will also connect to the existing lines.[2]
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