Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Glockenspiel of Munich

The Rathaus-Glockenspiel of Munich is located in Marienplatz and was part of the second construction phase of the New Town Hall, dating from 1908. Marienplatz (Mary's Square) is a central square in the city center of Munich, Germany since 1158.
(click on pictures to get a close up)



Close up of the Clock.



The Rathaus (Town Hall)



Every day at 11 a.m. (as well as 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. in summer) it chimes and re-enacts two stories from the 16th century to the amusement of mass crowds of tourists and locals. It consists of 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures,
The top half of the Glockenspiel tells the story of the marriage of the local Duke Wilhelm V to Renata of Lothringen. In honor of the happy couple there is a joust with life-sized knights on horseback representing Bavaria (in white and blue) and Lothringen (in red and white). The Bavarian knight wins every time of course.
The bottom half tells the story of the Schäfflerstanz (the coopers' dance). In the 16th century a particularly bad period of the plague hit town and everyone went into hiding. The first people to dare go back onto the streets were barrel makers who performed a big dance to show that it was okay to come out again.

This small model of the center of Munich was found nearby.

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