Heumarkt and King Frederick William Monument

Why is it significant?

Step out onto the expansive open ground of the Heumarkt, the second-largest public square in central Cologne, adjoining the Alter Markt to the north.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Step out onto the expansive open ground of the Heumarkt, the second-largest public square in central Cologne, adjoining the Alter Markt to the north. Where today visitors enjoy chilled glasses of Kölsch at sidewalk cafes in summer and skate across an elaborate ice rink under festive lights in winter, medieval merchants once traded tons of hay, grain, and cattle brought in from the surrounding Rhenish countryside to supply the growing city.

At the center of the square stands the colossal bronze equestrian statue of Prussian King Frederick William III. Following the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the historically free, Catholic Rhineland was incorporated into the Protestant Kingdom of Prussia. While locals initially viewed their Prussian administrators with deep skepticism, they warmly appreciated Prussia's financial and political backing for completing Cologne Cathedral.

Beneath the pavement of the Heumarkt lies a vast modern subterranean world: besides an expansive multi-level underground parking garage, modern rail tunnels intersect here for Cologne's North-South subway. During construction, archaeologists uncovered extraordinary Roman quay structures, timber moorings, and thousands of ceramic amphorae proving ships from across the Mediterranean docked here two thousand years ago. The intricate stone carvings and historic architectural details continue to captivate historians and travelers from around the world.

On the southeastern flank of the square once stood Cologne's proud nineteenth-century Stock Exchange, symbolizing the city's rapid industrial ascent. Today, the Heumarkt bridges the Old Town across the Deutz Bridge to the right bank of the Rhine, offering striking views of Great Saint Martin's crossing tower. Walking through these storied avenues offers a profound sense of how Cologne evolved across two millennia of dramatic European history.

Here on the historic Heumarkt, our first walking tour concludes: Settle into a traditional brewpub, let the Köbes bring a fresh round of Kölsch, and toast to two thousand years of captivating Cologne history!