Fischmarkt, historic square in Cologne, Germany
The Fischmarkt is a square in Cologne's old town near the church of Groß St. Martin, surrounded by narrow buildings with pointed gables. The space sits close to the Rhine and is framed by restaurants, bars, and traditional structures that retain the appearance of a medieval trading area.
The first buildings appeared around 1100 on the site of an earlier Benedictine abbey. In 1259, a special trade rule called Stapelrecht was introduced, requiring that fish brought from outside regions had to remain in Cologne for three days before being resold.
The market takes its name from the fish trade that has shaped this place for centuries, involving women called fishwives who were central to the local commerce. Today you can see this heritage reflected in how the narrow buildings frame the square and how visitors still gather here, continuing the tradition of meeting and exchanging goods.
Visit early in the day to see the freshest goods on display, as vendors close by afternoon. The square is easy to walk to and surrounded by restaurants and bars where you can sit and observe the surroundings.
One of the original wooden houses called Stapelhäuschen still stands at the square but was damaged during World War Two and is now being partially demolished and rebuilt. This shows how the place continues to grapple with its own history while trying to preserve it for future generations.
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