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Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

#1of 10 places to visit in MunichMunich, Bavaria, Germany

Also known as Neues Rathaus · Rathaus-Glockenspiel · New Town Hall Munich

Quick answer

Opening hours: Marienplatz is open at all times. Entry is free. Allow 45 min. Best time: Arrive at 10:30.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Steffen Flor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Opening hours: Marienplatz is open at all times; Glockenspiel: daily 11:00 and 12:00, plus 17:00 from March to October; a short evening sequence at 21:00. Tower platform: daily 10:00 - 20:00, last ascent 19:40.
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 45 min
Best time of day: Arrive at 10:30
Best months: May – Sep, Dec
Address: Marienplatz 8, 80331 Munich, Germany

About Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

Marienplatz in Munich is a free public square, and the Rathaus-Glockenspiel on the New Town Hall plays daily at 11:00 and 12:00, with an extra 17:00 performance from March to October, as of 2026. Architect Georg von Hauberrisser won the 1867 competition for the Neues Rathaus at the age of 25, and the neo-Gothic building took until 1905 to finish across three construction phases. Marienplatz has been Munich's central square since the city's medieval market days. Today the Neues Rathaus fills its northern side, the Mariensäule column with its gilded Virgin stands at its centre, and the S-Bahn and U-Bahn platforms sit directly underfoot, which makes the square the practical starting point for the Old Town.

Best time of day: Arrive at 10:30. To claim a spot before the 11:00 show, or come at 21:00 for the quieter night-watchman sequence; the 12:00 show draws the densest crowd.

Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel) timings

Opening hours: Marienplatz is open at all times; Glockenspiel: daily 11:00 and 12:00, plus 17:00 from March to October; a short evening sequence at 21:00. Tower platform: daily 10:00 - 20:00, last ascent 19:40.
Closed on: Open every day

Good to know: The 17:00 Glockenspiel show runs March to October only. The Glockenspiel is reported silent on Good Friday; verify at the official site.

Opening hours compiled from muenchen.de and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel) ticket price

Entry fees for Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	Free
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel performances are free, as of 2026. The New Town Hall tower viewing platform is a separate paid, timed 20-minute slot from about EUR 7 per adult, booked online through the Munich tourist office; concession and child rates for the tower were not confirmed, so verify at the official site.

Prices compiled from muenchen.de and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

Quiet
Moderate
Busy
Very busy

08:00 - 10:30
Early SquareBest time to go
Commuters and delivery traffic dominate; the square is open, the tower has not started its first slot, and photographs of the facade are unobstructed.
Quiet
10:30 - 12:15
Glockenspiel Rush
Crowds gather from about 10:45 for the 11:00 show and again for 12:00; standing room near the balcony is packed and pickpocket risk is highest.
Very busy
12:15 - 16:30
Afternoon Flow
Steady tourist traffic through the square; tower slots fill, and cafe terraces around the square run full.
Busy
17:00 - 21:30
Evening Show and Lights
A smaller crowd for the 17:00 March-October show and the 21:00 night sequence, with the Rathaus facade lit after dusk.
Moderate

History of Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

Marienplatz was the site of Munich's grain and produce market until 1807, when a royal decree of Max I Joseph moved part of the trade to what became the Viktualienmarkt. The Mariensäule, a column topped by a gilded figure of the Virgin Mary, was erected in 1638 during the Thirty Years' War and gave the square its present name.

Neues Rathaus was built between 1867 and 1905 in three phases to Georg von Hauberrisser's design. The Glockenspiel was added in 1908 and carries 43 bells and 32 life-size figures. It re-enacts two scenes: the 1568 wedding of Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine, including a joust between Bavarian and Lorraine knights, followed by the Schäfflertanz, the coopers' dance said to mark the end of a plague in 1517. Historians treat the plague origin of the dance as tradition rather than firm record. At 21:00 a miniature night watchman appears and the Münchner Kindl figure is put to bed by an angel.

Rules & etiquette at Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

Marienplatz has no entry rules, but the New Town Hall tower does: admission is by timed 20-minute slot, groups are capped, and the platform at 85 metres is reached by two lifts, so there is no stair climb. Luggage and tripod rules apply at the tower; the official booking page lists the current limits.

Marienplatz becomes tightly packed before each Glockenspiel performance, and pickpockets work the crowd facing the balcony. Keep phones and wallets in front pockets, and carry bags zipped and forward. The Glockenspiel show lasts about 15 minutes; the figures move slowly, so film only if a clear sightline is secured early.

Marienplatz restaurants on the square itself charge premium prices for ordinary Bavarian dishes. Tipping in Munich is usually rounding up or adding around 5-10 percent, handed to the server when paying, since service is already included in menu prices.

Tips for visiting Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

1
Marienplatz works best when the tower slot is booked online before arrival, because same-day slots at peak summer hours sell out. Book the first slot at 10:00 for the clearest air over the Alps on good days, then stay on the square for the 11:00 Glockenspiel.
2
Marienplatz is one stop from Munich Hauptbahnhof on the S-Bahn and a five-minute walk from the Frauenkirche, the Viktualienmarkt and the Hofbräuhaus, so most first-day itineraries start here. For a less crowded look at the Glockenspiel, stand at the edge of the square by the Fischbrunnen rather than in the centre, where the crowd compresses.
3
Avoid the 12:00 performance in July and August if crowd tolerance is low; the 17:00 show (March to October) usually draws fewer people, and the 21:00 evening sequence is close to empty by comparison.

How to reach Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel)

The red star is Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel); the numbered pins are the 9 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Marienplatz 8, 80331 Munich, GermanyDirections in Google Maps

From Munich Airport (MUC)
40 km · 40-45 min
EUR 13.60-14.30 one-way (airport zone ticket; sources differ, verify at mvv-muenchen.de)
From Munich Hauptbahnhof
1.5 km · 3-5 min
About EUR 4.20 (MVV Zone M single ticket, as of 2026; verify at mvv-muenchen.de)
From Viktualienmarkt
0.3 km · 4 min
Free (walking distance)

Nearest airport

From Munich Airport (MUC)

about 40 km from the city centre, roughly 40-45 minutes by S-Bahn (S1 or S8) to Marienplatz.

Nearest station

From Marienplatz (S-Bahn S1-S8; U-Bahn U3 and U6), directly beneath the square.

Marienplatz and New Town Hall (Glockenspiel) FAQs

Is the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz free?

Yes. The Rathaus-Glockenspiel performances at Marienplatz are free to watch from the square, as of 2026. Only the New Town Hall tower platform charges a fee, starting at about EUR 7 per timed 20-minute slot.

What time does the Munich Glockenspiel play?

The Glockenspiel plays daily at 11:00 and 12:00, with an additional 17:00 performance from March to October, as of 2026. A shorter sequence with the night watchman and an angel plays at 21:00 each evening.

How long does the Glockenspiel show last?

About 15 minutes. The figures re-enact the 1568 Wittelsbach wedding and the coopers' dance, and the full sequence ends with the bells.

Can you go up the New Town Hall tower?

Yes. The tower platform sits at about 85 metres, is reached by two lifts, and is open daily 10:00 - 20:00 with last ascent at 19:40, from about EUR 7 per timed slot, as of 2026; verify current prices at the official site.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places