The Heumarkt, the hay market, is one of the largest squares in Cologne's old town, between the Gürzenich quarter and the Rhine. In its middle stands a huge equestrian statue of King Frederick William III of Prussia that was blown off its base in 1943, mostly melted down in 1973 and pieced back together, with a new rider, in 1990.
The Heumarkt at a glance
- Where: in the Altstadt, between the Rhine promenade and the Gürzenich, at the western end of the Deutz Bridge.
- Created: one of the old market squares of medieval Cologne; the city calls it the second-largest square inside the old walls.
- By: the equestrian monument was designed by Gustav Blaeser and unveiled in 1878; the rider was recreated by Raimund Kittl in 1990.
- What it is today: a busy square and tram hub, home to a Christmas market and ice rink in winter.
- Time needed: 15 minutes, more in the Christmas market season.
A monument with nine lives
The monument to Frederick William III, the king under whom the Rhineland became Prussian, was proposed in the 1850s by Cologne's mayor and funded by donations from across the Rhine Province. The army refused the Neumarkt, so it went to the Heumarkt. Gustav Blaeser modelled the rider but died in 1874 before it was finished, and others completed the reliefs. The bronze, cast at Lauchhammer, was unveiled on 26 September 1878 in the presence of Emperor William I. Around the base stood 16 larger-than-life figures of Prussian reformers and generals of the wars against Napoleon.
On 29 June 1943 a bomb blast knocked horse and rider off the pedestal. The city's conservator kept the bronze from being melted down for weapons, but in 1973 most of it was melted down anyway. Only the king's head and the horse's rear survived; the rear became famous among locals as the Pädsfott, the horse's backside. After years of campaigning, the sculptor Raimund Kittl recreated the rider using the surviving parts, and it returned to the square on 29 September 1990. The pedestal was rebuilt by 2015 with surviving and reconstructed figures.
What to look for
- The king's face: the dent from the war, known locally as the Blötsch, was deliberately kept.
- The figures around the pedestal, some original, some reconstructed with new heads.
- The size of the square, still divided by tram tracks into a larger northern and a smaller southern part.
- The entrance to the underground station, which at 27 metres below ground is the deepest in the city.
The horse's backside
Cologne humour has made the horse's rear the star of the monument. When most of the bronze was melted down in 1973, the rear survived and was later put on show by the Deutz Bridge, then brought back to the Heumarkt in a protest against plans to build a hotel on the square. The nickname Pädsfott stuck, and many locals still use it when they arrange to meet here.
Tips for your visit
- From late November until early January the square fills with the Christmas market and an ice rink; expect crowds in the evening.
- Look at the statue from the south side for the best view of the king against the old town houses.
- Cross the Deutz Bridge from here for a view back to the old town, Great St. Martin and the cathedral.
Nearby
- Gürzenich: Cologne's medieval festival hall, a short walk west, still used for balls and the carnival season.
- St. Maria im Kapitol: a Romanesque church on the site of a Roman temple, a few minutes south-west.
- Pegelturm: the round Rhine gauge tower with its clock-like dial, about five minutes away on the Frankenwerft.
- Alter Markt and the Historic Town Hall: the old main square and the city hall with its Gothic tower, just north.
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 route includes the Old Market, the Historic Town Hall, the Fischmarkt and the Pegelturm, all a few minutes from the Heumarkt. 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.