What you'll hear
A two-hour walk through the heart of old Munich – from the Karlstor past St. Michael's, the Frauenkirche and Marienplatz to the Glockenspiel, Old Peter, the Viktualienmarkt and the Asamkirche. Along the way, the city's story from Henry the Lion's bridge to its rebuilding after the war, and at the end a free stroll with Munich legends. For anyone visiting Munich for the first time, and for those who want to see familiar places with fresh eyes.
On the way
Karlstor and Stachus
We begin at the Karlstor, the western gate of old Munich, on the border between the busy Stachus and the old town. From here we pass through the gate and walk east along the pedestrian Neuhauser Straße; after three or four minutes the pale façade of St. Michael's Church opens up on our left. In front of us is the…
St. Michael's Church
We are standing in front of St. Michael's, the Jesuit church built by Duke Wilhelm the Fifth. Next we continue a little further east along the street and turn left into Augustinerstraße – above the roofs we can already see the two towers of the Frauenkirche, and they will lead us to the cathedral square. Let's look up at the…
Frauenkirche
Before us stands the Frauenkirche, the Cathedral of Our Lady – Munich's main church and its calling card. From here we go down one of the short lanes to the south-east, and in about three minutes we come out onto Marienplatz, the city's main square. The two towers of the Frauenkirche are Munich's defining silhouette. The red-brick cathedral was built…
Marienplatz and the Mariensäule
We are on Marienplatz – the heart of Munich since the day it was founded. Once the grain and salt market bustled here, and the square was actually called Schrannenplatz, the grain market square, until it was renamed in the nineteenth century in honour of the Virgin Mary. The next stop is very close: let's turn to the huge façade…
New Town Hall and Glockenspiel
We are standing in front of the New Town Hall, where the mayor and the city council still meet today. From here we walk along the square to the east, towards the pale building with the tall tower that closes it off – that is the Old Town Hall, less than a minute away. The huge façade on the north…
Old Town Hall
We are at the Old Town Hall, on the eastern edge of Marienplatz, where the very first Munich once ended. Now let's go back a few steps and climb the small hill south of the square, to the church with the tall tower – that is St. Peter's. The pale building with the tall tower closing off the square to…
St. Peter's – “Alter Peter”
We are on the Petersbergl, the oldest spot in the city, at St. Peter's Church. From here we go down the hill to the south-east – right at its foot the stalls of the Viktualienmarkt begin, and in a couple of minutes we reach the tall white-and-blue pole in the middle of the market. Locals fondly call the tower of…
Viktualienmarkt
We are at the Viktualienmarkt, Munich's great food market – it is well worth lingering here, trying some cheese or having a beer in the beer garden. Then we head west: via the street called Rosental to the Rindermarkt and on along Sendlinger Straße, only about seven minutes, to the narrow, ornate façade of the Asamkirche. In the middle of…
Asamkirche
We are on Sendlinger Straße, at a small church that many consider the jewel of Bavarian Baroque. From here we walk back along the same street to the Rindermarkt with its fountain – about four minutes, and that is where our route ends. The narrow façade squeezed between ordinary houses is the Asamkirche, the Church of St. John of Nepomuk.…
Free stroll
And that's it – our route through the heart of old Munich is over. From here, at the Rindermarkt, Marienplatz and the Viktualienmarkt are only a couple of minutes away, so there is no way to get lost: the two towers of the Frauenkirche will always show you where the centre is. Now we can simply stroll through the lanes…
