The Marienplatz has been prominent ever since the city was founded in 1158. It used to be the central location for selling salt and grain. I was previously unaware, but Germany is actually home to several salt mines. They have been in operation since the early 1500’s and there are still several around today. With the Marienplatz being so close to the Isar River, trade and transportation of Germany’s products by river was common.
Today, the Marienplatz offers much more than salt and grain. It is a prominent location among both locals and tourist. There are several remarkable and mundane structures and vendors that make up and surround the Marienplatz. As I wandered around the square, it wasn’t so much the souvenir stands and stores that enticed me, but rather the people. With it being a Sunday , I was under the impression I was surrounded mostly by locals or residents of Germany. Church-goers flooded into the streets as church bells chimed. I felt a bit underdressed in my jeans and Northface, as I was surrounded by people in more formal attire. Tiny old ladies in pencil skirts and heels leisurely made their way through the cobblestone streets chatting in Deutsch.
Several young children were also dressed in their Sunday best. One thing that struck me was seeing families of multiple generations. On several occasions, I would see a couple with children and one or two grandparents. Also, I would rarely see a family with more than two kids. This is reflective of the European trends in terms of aging, population and fertility. Europe is experiencing an increase in population, but decrease in fertility. These statistics show the age distribution in Munich. There is a considerable difference in the number of aging adults versus children.
Age 0 - 5
Proprtion in % 5.3
Age
6 - 14
Proprtion in % 6.9
Age 15- 44
Proprtion in %44.6
Age 45- 64
Proprtion in % 25.7
Age:
over 65
Proprtion in %17.5
Source: Munich Statistical Office (Statistisches Amt der Landeshauptstadt München).
Several locals were also lounging outside cafes drinking coffee, eating pastries, and admiring the Glockenspiel, which is attached to the prominent, gothic-style town hall. Each performance consists of music and life-sized wooden figures depicting the wedding of Duke William V and Renata von Lothring, a joust and doing the Cooper’s Dance.
This was first done by barrel makers in celebration of the end of the Black Plague. The noon performance of the Glockenspiel was a big tourist attraction. The tourists were pretty easy to spot with their cameras out. The history was interesting, but overall I think it was overhyped. Tourists began to disperse long before the ten minute act was over. While they were rushing off to their next stop on their travels, the locals remained. Aside from the dress code, it was evident who was and was not a tourist. Most of the locals were surrounded by family or friends and moved at a much slower pace.
Wendy - I think you chose a very interesting area of Munich to write about becuase many people don't think of the town square as a very exciting place to go for anything other than food or to see one statue and then run off. You incorporated a lot of good geography themes into your blog, but I would have liked to see it flow a little better from the geography to the narrative. I liked how you talked about how you spent time "people watching" and how easy it was to pick the tourists out of the crowd because of their cameras and their attire.
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