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Taking the free city tour in Marienplatz, München

You may have noticed the past two blog posts are about my family vacation here in Europe. I will just be showing photos and a little description here and there for the next three weeks. See, if I post these in Facebook, it will get lost with all my Facebook wall posts.

making breakfast at our apartment

Having an AirBnB apartment keeps cost down since we buy our own groceries at the nearby Penny. My daughter loved the Muesli.

taking the u bahn

Buying the U Bahn ticket was easy since there was a stall there that sold everything from cellphone load, SIM card and anything a tourist may need.

buying a train ticket

The lady was kind enough to teach us how to use the ticket. We got a one day pass for all three of us since it came out cheaper.

taking the u bahn1

Getting a tour is one of the first things I do since it gives me an overview of the city. There are many free city tours in Munich and most of them start at the Marienplatz or the Mary’s Square, the central square in the city centre of Munich, Germany. It has been the city’s main square since 1158. I thought this was the free city tour arranged by my daughter but we decided to take Jon, a British national living in Munich. He was very engaging, funny and informative. He sorts of reminds me of Carlos Celdran. The tour is not exactly free because the guides earn on tip basis.

free city tours

The tour starts at 10:45 AM . The neo gothic building is more modern than its appearance suggests since construction only started in the early part of the twentieth century. The bell tower or Glockenschpiele features a carillon and mechanical knights jousting every day at 11.00 AM and 5.00 PM.

glockenspiel before the tour

Marienplatz is worth going since there are so many attractions nearby and a lot history.

glockenspiel1

at the city tour

The Peterskirche close to Marienplatz is the oldest church of the inner city.

cathedrai

It is beautiful inside with so much intricate artwork on the ceilings. It was first built during the Romanesque period, and was the focus of the early monastic settlement in Munich before the city’s official foundation in 1158.

cathedral in marienplatz

Of course, we lighted a candle.

lighting a candle

Bronze cobblestone.

cobble stone

 

lion in marien platz

Ever wondered where München got its name? Our tour guide explains:

The coat of arms of Munich (Münchner Wappen) depicts a young monk dressed in black holding a red book. It has existed in a similar form since the 13th century, though at certain points in its history it has not depicted the central figure of the monk at all. As the German name for Munich, München, means of Monks, the monk in this case is a self-explanatory symbol (canting arms) who represents the city of Munich.

munchen1

The drainage cover has these coat of arms.

munchen

Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshals’ Hall) – Munich
lion selfie

Two huge Bavarian lions are flanked by the larger-than-life statues of Count Johann Tserclaes Tilly, who led Catholic forces in the Thirty Years’ War, and Prince Karl Philipp Wrede, hero of the 19th-century Napoleonic Wars.

lion selfie

best beer in Germany

The tour ended and decided to visit the university town.

UNIVERSITY AREA

And eat pizza since we ate  sausages for the past two days.

pizza

And another beer.

beer again

As always, the husband always loves his books.

bookstore

What was most important is being together for a few hours, and enjoying the limited time as a family.

family bonding in Germany

The rest of the day was spent just chilling at our apartment and basking the view of the city.view from the balcony

Tomorrow, there is more to see .

balcony view

 

view

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