Rathaus-Glockenspiel, Mechanical clock in Marienplatz, Munich, Germany
The Rathaus-Glockenspiel is a mechanical clock with 43 bells and 32 moving figures mounted in the tower of New Town Hall in the Altstadt-Lehel district of Munich. The system spans two levels of the tower facade and presents two different stories that unfold in sequence.
The clockwork mechanism was installed in 1908 upon completion of New Town Hall and stood as a technical achievement of early mechanical engineering. The figures and carillon replaced an earlier simpler construction from the building phase.
The upper level shows a knightly tournament celebrating the 1568 wedding of Wilhelm V to Renata of Lorraine, performed through fully automated figures. The lower level displays the Schäfflertanz, a cooper's dance that recalls how tradesmen once encouraged citizens after a plague outbreak to return to the streets.
Performances take place daily at 11:00 and 12:00, with an extra show at 17:00 between March and October, running for about 15 minutes each time. Visitors watching from below should find a spot on Marienplatz with clear sight of the tower front, as groups gather quickly.
At the end of each performance, a small golden rooster chirps three times from the highest point of the display. The figures are driven by a complex system of chains and weights that still consists largely of original components from 1908.
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