Munich New Town Hall

Munich New Town Hall

　 　 Introduction The New Town Hall is located on the north side of Marienplatz and is a dark brown Gothic building constructed in the late 19th century. Its façade is adorned with statues of Bavarian kings as well as heroes and saints from fables and legends.

The entire building features a magnificent layout and ornate decorations. It took 40 years to complete, starting in 1867. The 85-meter-high tower of the Town Hall houses Germany's largest mechanical clock with puppets. At the top of every hour on the hour at 11, 12, 17, and 21 o'clock daily, 32 life-sized puppets perform a historical play depicting the wedding of William V in 1558. During the show, numerous colorful figures on the tower emerge in two tiers, dancing and singing to the rhythm of music, vividly recreating the festive scenes of the royal wedding — a performance lasting about 10 minutes. The show attracts many visitors every morning, especially newcomers to Munich, who don’t want to miss it.

Legend: In 1516, a major plague struck Munich, claiming thousands of lives and driving the rest away, leaving the city nearly deserted. Fifty-two years later, Duke William V held a grand wedding celebration here to revive and revitalize Munich. With the celebration, Munich flourished once again. To commemorate this event that drove away the “ill fortune,” the mechanical puppet clock was installed on the fifth and sixth floors of the Town Hall’s tower. 　 Transportation Take the subway to Marienplatz Station. Admission/Open Hours 1.5 euros. Open Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00–19:00, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10:00–19:00.

Munich, Germany