Today’s post is 1600 words, 42 photos, one video, an 8-minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
This week, I’ll take you to the historic heart of Munich, the Marienplatz. We’ll see the famous Glockenspiel, the city hall, the markets, the restaurants, and the Hofbräuhaus.
Before we start on our excursion into Munich, check out the links below if you missed earlier episodes in this series.
Vienna here and here; Regensburg, here and here; Neckargemund; Mosel Valley here and here; The Rhine River and Bonn; Julich here and here; Cologne, and Munich here and here.
But first…..
Before heading into Munich, we had to return the rental car to the Munich airport. We had our trusty BMW for 15 days without any problems, dents, or traffic tickets. It took us through the German countryside on narrow country roads and down the multilane Autobahn for over 1800 miles. Wayne took a photo of the car and me before dropping it off. 
Upon entering the airport, we had to make a couple of passes before finding the rental car return exit. When we entered, the car barcode was scanned, and by the time we pulled into the return lane, the attendant had the rental information loaded onto his tablet. It took him a minute to record the mileage and ask us if there were any problems. In less than five minutes, we were on our way to the train station. German efficiency in action.
Marienplatz (Munich’s central square)
After purchasing an S-Bahn ticket from the airport to Hauptbahnhof (Main Station), we enjoyed the smooth, pleasant 40-minute journey, watching the city fly by through the window. 
After exiting the busy train station, we entered the Marienplatz, the center of the city. There were lots of people milling around, many of whom were in the city for Oktoberfest. The biggest crowd was gathered in front of the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) to watch the famous 43-bell Glockenspiel perform. For over 100 years, this twice-daily show (three times daily from May to October) brings to life some of the city’s history dating back to the 1600s. Below are two photos of the Glockenspiel in action, followed by a short video clip of the 12-minute show. 
Nearby is the tourist information center staffed by a young woman wearing a traditional dirndl dress and a young man in lederhosen. They answered our questions in excellent English, offered us a city map, and suggested places to see. 
As we walked through the Marienplatz, we noticed these Ukrainian musicians busking. There are about 25,000 Ukrainian refugees living in Munich 
Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady)
The Frauenkirche is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Munich, known for its twin onion-domed towers. The huge majestic church was built in the late 15th century when the population of Munich was about 13,000. The monarch at the time wanted the church to be impressive and fit all the people inside. What I noticed was how simple, wide open, and well-lit the interior was. 
Hofbräuhaus
It was soon lunchtime, so we headed to the nearby Hofbräuhaus, one of Munich’s most famous gathering places. It was founded in the late 1500s as a royal brewery and has become one of the liveliest beer halls in a town known for its beer halls. We were not disappointed. The place was packed, and the noise level was high. I even got an alert on my Apple Watch about the noise. 
We found a couple of seats in the large outdoor courtyard. It was much quieter, but we did have to put up with the smokers. 
A fraulein came around selling pretzels. Wayne purchased one that we shared. They are huge and tasty. There was enough leftover for a snack later in the afternoon.
We flagged down a waiter to order lunch and beer. I had the Hofbräu Original, a refreshing lager with a modest jolt. For lunch, I ordered the sausage with mustard and sauerkraut. Both hit the spot.
While we were waiting, the waiter delivered five or six mugs of beer clasped in one hand to the table next to us. He must have had some serious arm strength!
A Walking Tour of Munich Old Town
We arranged a GetYourGuide English-speaking walking tour of Old Town Munich. We met our guide, Brigitte (Bridget in English), at the tourist information center. She was engaging and informative. 
As advertised, Brigitte shared the history of Bavaria and Munich. She pointed out the New City Hall and the nearby Old City Hall. She took us past the Cathedral that we visited earlier in the day. We stood on the spot where Adolf Hitler gave one of his speeches that helped form the Nazi Party. 
These lighter colored cobblestones are located along a small alley near the Feldherrnhalle. This is the path locals took to avoid the mandatory Nazi salute when passing the hall. 
She took us to some of the more modern features that were added to the city after World War II. About 90% of Old Town Munich suffered bomb damage during the war.
We passed the Munich Residence, home to the rulers of Bavaria from 1508 until 1918. 
Nearby is the National Theater or Bavarian State Opera, which has been in operation for over 350 years. It’s considered one of the world’s tradition-rich opera houses.
Back in Marienplatz, Brigitte pointed out the gleaming statue of the Mother of God atop Mary’s Column. 
It was an enjoyable tour; we learned and saw a lot. 
The View from City Hall
During our earlier stop at the tourist information center, I learned that for the modest price of €6 (about $7 USD), visitors could ride the elevator to the city hall tower. I quickly plunked down my money for a ticket. Wayne doesn’t care much for heights, so he opted to relax in the plaza.
They were right, the view was outstanding. In the top photo, the Cathedral with the onion domes stands out.
This is St. Peter’s Church, called Alter Peter (Old Peter) by the locals. This church was founded in 1158 and is the oldest recorded parish church in Munich. 
Munich has many churches, most of which are Catholic. I couldn’t identify this church taken with the telephoto lens extended to its full length.
Ignore the foreground; note the industrial complex at a distance from the city. 
I was told that the BMW complex was in this direction from the city. I don’t know if this is it, but it does point to the area’s strong business climate.
Here’s a view looking down into the Marienplatz. It’s late afternoon, and the shadows are getting longer. Note Mary’s Column in the middle of the platz.
This view of Marienplatz is looking toward the Old City Hall, now a toy museum.
As I looked northwest over the city, I noted cranes rising over buildings under construction. I counted sixteen. Looks like a city on the move.
After enjoying the view of the city and returning to the ground, I noticed the plaque below on the exterior of the city hall.
The 1972 Munich Olympics were intended to present a modern, democratic Germany to the world. More than 7000 athletes from 120 countries participated. It was at these Olympics that Mark Spitz won seven gold medals in swimming. That aside, these Olympics are most remembered for the attack by terrorists on the Israeli team, killing two, taking nine hostage. Some of the terrorists were killed by German police during an attempted rescue of the hostages. The terrorists killed the hostages rather than letting them go. The remaining terrorists, except one, were hunted down by the Israeli Mossad. This led to improved lasting security at the Olympic Games. 
Vikualienmarkt
I met up with Wayne and walked over to the nearby market, the Viktualienmarkt. This historic market has been operating since the early 1800s. It offers fresh food, produce, meat, cheese, flowers, and other local goodies at over 100 stalls. There is a popular central beer garden that serves beer from the six Munich breweries on a rotating basis.
As we were leaving, I noticed this fella off in a corner painting away. With the soft late afternoon light, I couldn’t resist taking his photo.
Before heading back on the train to our lodging in Hallbergmoos, we stopped for a beer. Augustiner was founded in 1328; it’s the oldest independent brewery in Munich. It was good, but I liked the Hofbräu better.
It was dark when we made it back to Hallbergmoos. We took the local bus back to our lodging. It was on this ride that I encountered one of the very few rude people in Germany. After we were underway, I told him where we wanted to get off. He yelled at me for not speaking German. I snapped back at him for being rude. We missed our stop. Got off at the next stop and walked about a quarter mile back to our original stop. Fortunately, it was nice outside, and the walk helped me cool off. Other than that, it was a very good day in Germany.
Join me next week for a day at the Munich Oktoberfest. It’s the last one in this series. I promise.
Before I go……
THE FIVE SENSES PLUS ONE
Saw – airport, Old Town Munich, Glockenspiel, lots of churches, construction cranes, and people
Heard – people talking many languages, loud sounds in the Hofbräuhaus, bells of the Glockenspiel, Ukrainian Orchestra, train rolling down the tracks
Touch – elevator buttons, railings, handles on the train, beer mug
Smell – stale beer, the odor of petroleum, food cooking
Taste – pretzel, sausage and sauerkraut, beer, chocolate
Learned – history and stories of Munich from guide, using public transportation takes time
Until next week, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM