On the Marienplatz in Munich is home to the New Town Hall. It is the seat of the Lord Mayor and is one of the most beautiful and popular sights in the city. The tower of the imposing building offers a great view and houses the famous Carillon with its 43 bells.
Munich City Hall with elaborate decorations
The New Town Hall is extraordinary in its neo-Gothic architecture and is almost reminiscent of the work of a confectioner. Although it looks older, it was actually only built between 1867 and 1909 by architect Georg von Hauberrisser.
The town hall stretches over 100 metres along the north side of the Marienplatz and is decorated on its façade with many elaborate figures, mythical creatures, historical personalities and gargoyles.
The Wurmeck, the corner tower on the Weinstraße, is particularly worth mentioning. A mighty copper lindworm can be seen on it, which according to legend is to blame for the spread of the plague in medieval Munich.
Above the main entrance to the New Town Hall, on the second floor, is the so-called ‘Königslaube’, a bay window decorated with the four Bavarian kings Maximilian Joseph I, Ludwig I, Maximilian II and Ludwig II.
The New Town Hall is also extraordinary inside
When you enter Munich City Hall, you first enter a large inner courtyard with a special spiral staircase. The design of this spiral staircase deals with the different phases of a person's life. Four large figures depict the individual stages of life, namely a mother and child, youth, adulthood and old age. The phases of a woman's life are also shown on four further portrait busts.
The mayor, the city council and more than 600 city employees work in the town hall itself, which can also be visited from the inside as part of a guided tour. In addition to offices and meeting rooms, there is also the so-called Hauberrisser room, an official room that is still furnished and preserved in its original state. There is also a legal library open to the public.
Tours take place from Monday to Friday at 3.30 pm and on Saturday at 11.30 am and 1.30 pm. The meeting point is the tourist information centre in the New Town Hall.
Unrivalled view over the city
There is also a viewing gallery in the town hall tower, on top of which the Münchner Kindl is enthroned. It is open to visitors all year round. From here you have a marvellous view of the city and the surrounding area of Munich. You can get to the top by lift between October and April, from 10 am to 5 pm and from May to September, from 10 am to 7 pm.
