Alter Markt (Old Market Square)

The Alter Markt in Cologne (Old Market) is the heart of the city's Old Town: a car-free square between the historic City Hall and the Rhine, lined with colorful gabled houses, traditional brewpubs and outdoor terraces. It is where Cologne's famous Carnival season kicks off every November 11, and where a big Christmas market sets up in Advent. For a taste of Kölsch beer and local life, it is one of the essential things to do in Cologne, just a short walk from the cathedral.

A Thousand Years of Market Life

The Alter Markt and the neighboring Heumarkt were once a single market area, formed after a branch of the Rhine that had served as a Roman harbor silted up. The square is first recorded in 922. In the Middle Ages it hosted markets and jousting tournaments, but also the pillory and public executions; from 1024 the archbishop's mint stood here.

Air raids in 1942 and 1943 destroyed most of the buildings. The only original survivor is the double house "Zum Bretzel" and "Zum Dorn" (Nos. 20–22) from the 16th century; the rest was rebuilt after the war, many in the style of narrow gabled townhouses.

What to See

• Jan von Werth Fountain: Unveiled in 1884, it honors the cavalry general Jan von Werth and the local legend of Jan and Griet.
• City Hall tower: The richly decorated tower of Cologne's Historic City Hall rises on the west side of the square.
• Kallendresser: Look up at house No. 24 for a cheeky figure by artist Ewald Mataré, baring his backside toward City Hall.
• Brewpubs: The Gaffel brewery has run the Gaffel Haus here since 1987, and more pubs and restaurants spill onto the square in good weather. Order a Kölsch, the local beer served in small glasses.

Festivals Through the Year

• November 11 at 11:11 a.m.: The Carnival season opens with live music on the square. Expect huge crowds and check the city's access rules in advance.
• Weiberfastnacht (the Thursday before Lent): street Carnival begins, with the traditional Jan and Griet procession ending at the fountain.
• Advent: A Christmas market has been held here since 1977, today known as Heinzels Wintermärchen together with the Heumarkt and its ice rink. Event listings give November 23, 2026, as the start date; the stalls on the Alter Markt close shortly before Christmas. Entry is free.

How to Get There

The square is pedestrian-only. The nearest subway stop is Rathaus, and the Heumarkt tram stop is right next door. From Köln Hauptbahnhof (Cologne Central Station) and the cathedral, it is about a 10-minute walk through the Old Town lanes. Cologne is roughly an hour from Frankfurt by ICE and about 15 minutes from Cologne Bonn Airport by S-Bahn, so the Old Town is an easy day trip. The square itself is flat, though side streets are cobbled.

Is It Worth Visiting?

Yes, it is the best place in Cologne for a beer on a terrace and the city's most festive square. Pair it with Great St. Martin Church two minutes away, then walk to Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge, or head south along the river to the Chocolate Museum and the Rheinauhafen.

Christmas market 2026

From 23 November to 23 December 2026 part of Heinzels Wintermärchen fills the Alter Markt, open daily from 11 am to 10 pm. The second part with an ice rink on the neighbouring Heumarkt stays until 10 January 2027, with rest days on 24 and 25 December. The market's theme is the Heinzelmännchen, the helpful house elves of a Cologne legend. All of Cologne's markets, from the cathedral to the harbour, are in our guide Cologne Christmas market 2026.