With the splendor and tourist traffic in Marienplatz, you might miss out on the lovely Mariensäule…read morestatue. The column is crowned by a gilded status of the Virgin Mary that was created in (it is believed) 1593 for the grave of William V and used until 1613 for the high altar of the Munich Cathedral (aka Frauenkirche). In 1639, four bronze armed cherubs were added at the pedestal, a reference to Psalm 91 verse 13 "Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis et leonem et draconem conculcabis" which translates to "You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot." During the World War II, the statue was moved to the Frauenkirche and restored here in 1945. It was then removed again in 1966 during the construction of the Munich U-Bahn and S-Bahn. Interesting fact, the distance information in many maps and road signs to Munich refers to the Mariensäule. [Review 12019 overall, 1802 of 2019.]

Listen, if you miss the Mariensaule, that's on you. It's situated right in front of the Rathaus,…read moreand if you've stopped to watch the Glockenspiel, then you have no excuse to miss it; it's RIGHT THERE!!! The statuary around it is very detailed and beautiful, and it is topped off with a golden Virgin Mary. It makes for a very prominent meeting spot in the Marienplatz, should you get separated from your group. 9/2022

Absolutely gorgeous. This building is old and full of charm, having been originally built in 1310…read more(yes, ~800 years ago). It was partially destroyed during WWII but has been faithfully restored to its former glory. It is a building designed in the Gothic style. Just as with the new town hall, you can go up the stairs to the top. I believe the price is €1,60. The inside on the ground floor is absolutely gorgeous too, looking exactly how many expect German buildings to look.

This small Chapel sits above the spot where King Ludwig II of Bavaria was found dead in the…read moreshallows (alongside his doctor, who was also dead) of Lake Starnberg in 1886, after an evening walk from his nearby residence at Berg Castle. The cause of his death is still a mystery and will probably remain so; but the actual spot where he was found is marked with a cross (in the water) and the Chapel was erected 1896-1900 to accommodate remembrance services for this fascinating and eccentric monarch. The Chapel is not open to the public but you can easily see into the interior through a grille. The Chapel itself is built in a Byzantine-Romanesque style, with a high pointed roof over the central cupola, and a wonderful Romanesque portico around the main doorway. The interior is decorated with marble and mosaics. The Chapel can be reached by well marked footpaths through pleasant woodland from the villages of Berg and Leoni. From either end it's a walk of around a mile. Both villages are served by the regular ships from Starnberg, Possenhofen and Tutzing. Berg Castle is now in private ownership and not open to the public.

Munich has a vexed relationship with its role in the events leading up to WWII. Berlin gives…read moregreat prominence to its past, no matter how confronting it may be. Munich, where everything started, less so. You can easily miss many commemorations like Shirker's alley. If you look on the eastern side of the Feldernhalle, on Residenzstrasse, you'll see several patched holes in the concrete. They look as thpough they might have held a plaque, screwed to the wall. Indeed, they did--it was a plaque that commemorated the failed coup--the Beer Hall Putsch--which the Nazis mounted in 1923, and ended in the Odeonsplatz with several members of the party shot by Bavarian police. Soldiers guarded the memorial at all times, and citizens who passed it had to salute. Those who wished not to do so, would duck through the nearby Viscardigasse. This became known as the Drückeburger Gaßl, or literally, "Shirker's Alley". To commmemorate this small act of resistance, the city of Munich asked sculptor Bruno Wank to design a memorial. It consists of bronze cobblestones, which trace the path of the "shrikers". It's not marked, so you could easily miss it. But amid the happy crowds, and the graciousness and elegance of this inner-city square, it serves as a chilling reminder of a darker past.

If you're at the Residenze Museum, head north up Residenzstrasse about 50 meters or so. When you…read morecome to a small side street on the left called Viscardigasse, turn in and look down. See that line of gold stones in the pavement? Those are there to commemorate the Germans who resisted Nazi rule in Munich. Years earlier, state police had shot a number of Nazis to death as Hitler paraded his group up Residenzstrasse towards Odeonsplatz. Years later, after Hitler had taken power, he had a monument honoring the Nazis who had been killed built in Odeonsplatz, and Germans were required to salute it as they passed. The street you're looking down, Viscardigasse, is the route taken by those who could not bring themselves to salute the monument. It's just a modest swish of stones in the street, laid in order to remember the small ways in which people resisted the brutality of the regime.

Exactly as described; it's a statue of Juliet from the famous Shakespeare Play…read more It's a nice statue, but it's sad to see how it's defiled. There are clear signs that people putting their hands on her chest. It's a sculpture of a 13 year old girl. People are gross.

Located between the Marienplatz and the tower of the Old Town Hall. Legend has it that rubbing…read moreJulia's right breast will bring you luck or money or some such. That's why her boob is completely polished, the same as other statues that need to be rubbed to bring you good luck. The statue was a gift to Munich from the city of Verona in 1974. Life-sized and wearing a thin gown. There is a small plaque nearby with a quote from Romeo and Juliet, Act 5, Scene 3. This is the famous death scene. And yes, I did touch the statue in the right spot. And then used Purell. I'm still waiting for the good luck. I already have the true love. [Review 12021 overall, 1804 of 2019.]