The Alter Markt (Old Market) is the square at the foot of the City Hall tower in Cologne's old town, lined with tall gabled houses, café terraces and brewery pubs. It has been the city's market place for a thousand years, and today it is where Cologne officially opens its street carnival every year.
Alter Markt at a glance
- Where: in the Altstadt, between the City Hall and the Rhine, next to the Heumarkt.
- Created: in the 10th century, when a silted-up Roman harbour on a side arm of the Rhine was filled in.
- What it is today: a pedestrian square with the Jan von Werth fountain, outdoor tables and the main stage for the carnival opening.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes to look around, longer if you stop for a drink.
From Roman harbour to market square
In Roman times a harbour lay here, on a branch of the Rhine that separated the town from an island. When the channel silted up it was filled in during the 10th century, and the new ground became Cologne's central market. Until the 13th century the Alter Markt and the neighbouring Heumarkt formed one long market place. In the late Middle Ages the square also saw public executions and occasional jousting tournaments.
Like most of the old town, the square was badly damaged in the Second World War, and most of the houses you see are post-war rebuilds in the old style. Only two historic houses survive on the east side, 'Zur Brezel' and 'Zum Dorn', both built in the 16th century in Renaissance style. The west side is dominated by the Gothic City Hall tower, built between 1407 and 1414.
What to look for
- The Jan von Werth fountain: erected in 1884 by the sculptor Wilhelm Albermann, it shows the Thirty Years' War general on top of a tall pedestal.
- The reliefs of Jan and Griet: around the base, scenes tell the story of the farmhand and the girl who turned him down.
- The Kallendresser: look up at the roof of house no. 24 to find a bronze man with his trousers down, made by Ewald Mataré in 1956 as a modern version of an older figure on a neighbouring house.
- The Platzjabbeck: a carved head above the clock of the City Hall tower that sticks out its tongue on the hour.
- Zur Brezel and Zum Dorn: the two Renaissance houses on the east side, the oldest facades on the square.
The legend of Jan and Griet
Legend has it that Jan, a poor farmhand, asked the maid Griet to marry him, and she refused because he was too poor. Jan joined the army, rose to become a famous general and returned to Cologne in triumph. Riding past the market, he found Griet selling fruit, still unmarried. 'Griet, who would have thought it,' he said; 'Jan, if only I had known,' she answered. The story is told in Cologne every carnival.
Tips for your visit
- Come at the full hour to see the Platzjabbeck stick out its tongue, and at 12:00 to hear the City Hall carillon.
- Around carnival, especially on Weiberfastnacht, the Thursday before Lent, the square is packed from the morning on; come another day if you want to see the fountain and houses in peace.
- The Kallendresser is easy to miss: stand near the fountain and scan the rooflines on the east side.
Nearby
- City Hall tower: the 61-metre Gothic tower with 124 statues and a carillon, right on the square.
- Great St. Martin: the Romanesque church with a clover-leaf choir, a couple of minutes towards the Rhine.
- Tünnes and Schäl: two bronze puppet-theatre characters next to Great St. Martin; rubbing Tünnes' nose is said to bring luck.
- Heumarkt: the larger square just to the south, once part of the same medieval market.
See Cologne with World City Trail
Our Cologne scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 20 minutes of walking. The Old Market is one of the stops, along with the historic City Hall, Great St. Martin and Cologne Cathedral. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Cologne.
Play the Cologne scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Cologne →
Play the outdoor escape game in Cologne →
Facts checked in October 2026.