The Fischmarkt is a small square in Cologne's old town, between the Romanesque church of Great St. Martin and the Rhine promenade. Fish, above all herring, was sold here from the Middle Ages, and the row of narrow, brightly painted houses with pointed gables in front of the church tower is one of the most photographed views in the city.
The Fischmarkt at a glance
- Where: in the Altstadt between Great St. Martin and the Rhine, at the street called Am Leystapel, a few minutes from the Rathaus tram stop.
- Created: a fish market is recorded here from the 12th century, as forum piscium; most of today's façades were rebuilt after the Second World War.
- What it is today: a pedestrian square with cafés and restaurants, the Fishwives' Fountain and views of the river.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes, longer if you stop for a drink.
Herring, staple rights and fishwives
Fish was probably traded on the Rhine bank here from the early Middle Ages, and the first documents of the 12th century call the place forum piscium, the fish market. From the 13th century the market occupied the strip between the choir of Great St. Martin and the city wall on the river. In 1259 Cologne received the staple right: goods shipped along the Rhine, much of it herring from Holland, had to be offered to Cologne's citizens for three days before they could travel on. The Stapelhaus on the north side of the square still recalls this privilege.
Fresh fish was sold from stalls leased to dealers, salmon was cut on benches, and the fishwives sold small fish and crayfish. The trade moved into shops in the 19th century. In the Second World War about 90 percent of the old town was destroyed, Great St. Martin included, and after the war the narrow, steep-gabled houses were rebuilt in the historic style. In 1982 a tunnel took the riverside traffic underground, creating the Rheingarten and joining the square to the promenade.
What to look for
- The row of narrow houses with pointed gables in bright colours, best seen with the tower of Great St. Martin rising behind them.
- The Stapelhaus on the north side of the square, named after Cologne's medieval staple right.
- The Fishwives' Fountain by Rainer Walk, made in 1986, a tribute to the women who sold fish here.
- The view across the Rhine to Deutz and along the promenade towards the Hohenzollern Bridge.
- The choir of Great St. Martin itself, which closes off the square on the town side.
New houses, old look
Much of what looks medieval at the Fischmarkt is a careful postwar reconstruction. The surprise came recently: during repair work on the narrow houses known as the Stapelhäuschen, experts found that some of their timber is older than expected, possibly from the 18th or even the 16th century. Structural problems mean parts of the row may be under scaffolding, so check before you plan your photo.
Tips for your visit
- Come early in the morning for the classic photo without crowds, or at dusk when the façades and the church are lit.
- Stand on the Rhine promenade side for the best angle on the houses and the tower together.
- Combine the square with a walk along the Rheingarten, the riverside park created by the tunnel.
- On summer weekends the old town is very busy; weekday mornings are calmer.
Nearby
- Great St. Martin: the Romanesque church with its four corner towers, right behind the square.
- Pegelturm: the round Rhine gauge tower with its clock-like dial on the Frankenwerft, a few minutes along the river.
- Alter Markt and the Historic Town Hall: Cologne's old main square and the city hall with its Gothic tower, a short walk inland.
- Cologne Cathedral: the city's great Gothic cathedral, about ten minutes north on foot.
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 Fischmarkt is one of the stops, along with Great St. Martin Church, the Pegelturm and the Old Market. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or 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.