Trip 53

April 16, 2026

The morning looked as though it would be an overcast “grey day” and up until mid afternoon, it was (though no rain).

We took the tram and U-Bahn into the Marienplatz area as we wanted to visit a particular store (Manufactum) and then walk along Maxmillianstrasse , home to many high end hotels and shops. Manufactum , located nearby the Marienplatz, is found in several German and Austrian cities. It’s essentially a home goods store, with lots of interesting things I can’t bring home.

Marienplatz ( Platz= square) has been at the centre of the city since Munich was founded by Henry the Lion in 1158. It was the point at which all of the new city’s most important streets met and for centuries it was the centre of Munich’s life. Marienplatz (Mary’s Square) in Munich is named after the Mariensäule (Marian Column) erected in its center in 1638. The column was built by Elector Maximilian I to thank the Virgin Mary for protecting the city from destruction during the Thirty Years’ War.

At the heart of the Marienplatz stands the Neues Rathaus (Neues = “new” city hall; rat= advise/counsel) with its famous glockenspiel.

• Upper Tier of Glockenspiel: The wedding and jousting of Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine (1568).
• Lower Tier of Glockenspiel : The Schäfflerstanz(coopers’ dance), commemorating the end of the plague.

From Maxmillianstrasse we walked past Hofbrau Haus , then over to one of our more preferred Biergartens at the Viktualienmarkt. By this time, it was a beautiful afternoon with only a few scattered puffy white clouds overhead. The Biergarten’s horse chestnut trees were partially leafed out and the tables busy, but much easier to find a place to sit than in peak summer.

The long tables are shared, with friends meeting under the shade of the tree, for a leisurely bier and/or a meal.

The Viktualienmarkt developed from an original farmers’ market. Circled around the outer perimeter of the Viktualienmarkt are quite a few shops, specialized in products like cheeses, honey, olives (YouTube), flowers & plants, butchers, vegetables, handmade items.

The Maypole in Munich’s Viktualienmarkt is a central landmark that is traditionally painted with blue and white diamonds and shows figures of the Bavarian way of life. It stands in the heart of the market, near the beer garden, and is considered one of the most important Maypoles in Munich.

The tradition of the construction of the Maypole in Bavaria goes back to the 16th century; the tree at the Viktualienmarkt is supported by the six major Munich breweries (Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten).

• The raising of the Maypole event is a massivecfestival held every few years on May 1st, featuring brass bands, traditional costumes and discounted beer from the breweries.
• Replacement Cycle: The pole is not replaced every year. It typically stands for 3 to 5 years before being retired for safety reasons. The current pole was raised in May 2022; the next one is scheduled for 2027.
• The Maypole is about 35 meters in height. Traditionally a small fir or pine tree is often attached to the very top of the maypole as a crowning decoration, symbolizing growth, fertility, and the awakening of nature.