Momo Monument

Momo has been patiently waiting for company in the square since her installation in 2007. The character was brought to life by author Michael Ende, and the sculpture was created by Ulrike Enders, a sculptor who has been based in Hanover since 1972.

Published in 1973, the novel Momo focuses on the story of a remarkable young girl who possessed an extraordinary gift: the art of listening and helping people. (The book’s full title in German is Momo oder Die seltsame Geschichte von den Zeit-Dieben und von dem Kind, das den Menschen die gestohlene Zeit zurückbrachte, which translates to Momo, or the strange story of the time-thieves and the child who brought the stolen time back to the people.) 

The book went on to sell 7 million copies globally, even outselling Ende’s later and more well-known book, The Neverending Story. It has been called “one of the most remarkable novels of the late 20th century.”

If you have some time, you can whisper your worries and needs into her ear and then move on with life in good spirits. Because in Michael Ende’s wonderful story, Momo manages to help everyone she ever listens to, simply by letting them speak.