Square, Plaza sights in Munich
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A
Marienplatz
The heart and soul of the Altstadt, Marienplatz, is a popular gathering spot and packs a lot of personality into its relatively small frame. It's anchored by the Mariensäule (Mary's Column), built in 1638 to celebrate victory over Swedish forces during the Thirty Years' War; it's topped by a golden statue of the Virgin Mary balancing on a crescent moon.
At 11:00 and noon (also 17:00 March to October), the square jams up with tourists craning their necks to take in the animated Glockenspiel (carillon) in the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), a neo-Gothic fantasy festooned with gargoyles, statues and a dragon scaling the turrets; the tourist office is on the ground floor. For…
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B
Königsplatz
Nothing less than the Acropolis in Athens provided the inspiration for Leo von Klenze's imposing Königsplatz , commissioned by Ludwig I and anchored by a Doric-columned Propyläen gateway and two templelike museums. The Nazis added a few buildings of their own and abused the square with their mass parades. Only the foundations of these structures remain at the east end of the square, rendered unrecognisable by foliage.
Peaceful and green today, the square comes alive in summer during concerts and open-air cinema.
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C
Odeonsplatz
Odeonsplatz marks the beginning of the Maxvorstadt, a 19th-century quarter built to link central Munich with Schwabing to the north. Leo von Klenze masterminded its overall design and several of the buildings, including the Leuchtenberg-Palais. There are several nice, if pricey cafés, including Schumann's Bar as well as the plushly furnished Café Tambosi, which has a pedigree going back more than 200 years and used to be popular with Munich's high society.
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D
Wedekindplatz
The heart of Altschwabing (Old Schwabing) - Wedekindplatz - still preserves a boho touch thanks to the nearby small stores, gritty bars and alternative theatres. While living here from 1899 to 1901, Thomas Mann penned his famous novel Buddenbrooks. Beatniks and hippies invaded in the '60s, fuelling a minor spin on the 1968 revolution.
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