Viktualienmarkt

Viktualienmarkt is a daily food market and square in the heart of Munich, Germany, located just south of Marienplatz. It is one of the city’s most recognizable and frequently visited markets, serving both locals and visitors with a wide range of provisions and prepared foods.

The market was established in 1807 when the city relocated a number of stalls to a permanent space on Viktualienmarkt to provide fresh provisions for residents and the royal court. The name Viktualienmarkt derives from victuals, reflecting the market’s historic role in supplying food. Over the 19th and 20th centuries it grew to include a broad mix of vendors, including fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, baked goods, flowers, and specialty foods. The market survived the disruptions of war and later modernization, while retaining its traditional character.

Today the Viktualienmarkt comprises around 140 stalls and shops. Vendors offer fresh produce, cheeses and dairy products, meat and fish, bakery goods, herbs and spices, flowers, honey, and regional delicacies, as well as a variety of ready-to-eat items such as sausages, sandwiches, and Bavarian dishes. The market is organized around a central square with a cluster of permanent stalls and several covered spaces, and it includes an adjacent beer garden where visitors can eat and drink al fresco.

Location and administration: The market sits in Munich’s historic center near Marienplatz and is accessible by public transit. It is operated by a municipal market administration and remains a focal point of daily city life, reflecting Bavarian culinary culture and the city’s provisioning tradition.