The Rathaus, or town hall,
is often the focus of life in German cities, and Munich is no different.
Ablaze at night, the towering steeple holds in it one of Munich's best-loved
attractions - the Glockenspiel.
Even though the building looks old,
with its Gothic stylings, it actually was completed in the first part of
the 20th century. The Glockenspiel performance (which is cute and
all, but really only needs to be seen once) commemorates 2 events in Munich's
history: a knight's tournament held in 1568 (left) and the Schäfflertanz
(Cooper's Dance - above) from the 1600s which celebrates the passing of
the plague from the city.
Reflected in the modern shops across
from it, the Glockenspiel still holds a place as Munich's heart,
and the Rathaus continues to dominate the skyline, even from above.
