Our trip took us to Munich between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we visited the Marienplatz to tour the Christmas Markets and see the glockenspiel. Although we didn’t initially plan to visit the Frauenkirche, the twin towers dominating the skyline, drew us to the church like a magnet. And of course the fact that we love touring old churches and cathedrals in Europe helped entice us to stop for a quick visit. The Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady) serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and is considered a landmark symbol of the Bavarian capital. The church's history dates back to the 12th century while the Gothic building you see today was originally constructed in the 15th century. Because of local height limits for buildings, the church towers, which are 323 feet tall, are widely visible. You can normally travel up the south tower, which has a spiral staircase and an elevator. When we visited, it was closed for repair, but it reportedly offers a unique view of Munich and the nearby Alps. The beautiful interior includes a tall and narrow nave, ceiling vaults, and some nice stained glass windows. The nave is 357 feet long, 131 feet wide, and 121 feet high and was built to originally accommodate 20,000 standing people. Highlights inside the church include the Wittelsbach Monument, the bishop's crypt, and the so-called "Devil's Footstep." You can easily get to the Frauenkirche from anywhere in Munich by taking any S-Bahn train (lines S1 to S8) from the Munich central station or take the U-Bahn (lines U3 or U6). (PaM)