Marienplatz is the heart of the city of Munich. In the Middle Ages, the square used to be a market place as well as the place where tournaments and festivities took place.In 1807 Marienplatz's market moved to the nearby Viktualienmarkt, but the square still continued to be the city's focal point. Important public events such as tournaments or executions were still held here.The square was originally known as Schrannen but it was renamed Marienplatz (St. Mary's Square) as a way to ask Virgin Mary to protect the town from a cholera epidemic.