Heide

Heide is the district capital of Dithmarschen in northern Schleswig-Holstein and serves as the administrative center of the region. The central market square covers 4.7 hectares (about 11.6 acres) and offers 500 parking spaces, making it the largest unbuilt market square in Germany.

Four villages merged in the 15th century around a church that had been built on a heath. By 1447 the settlement had become the main village of Dithmarschen and took on the central role in the administration of the region.

The name refers to the heath landscape where a church first appeared and around which local life began to form. Today, the large central square serves not only as parking but also as a space for weekly markets and occasional events that draw people from across the district.

The tourist office in the old parsonage helps visitors from Monday to Saturday with accommodation bookings and information about the region. The large market square offers plenty of parking directly in the center and is easy to reach on foot.

Since 2016 the market square has been closed to cars on certain Sundays and transformed into a meeting space for the community. The Brahmshaus preserves the former home of ancestors of composer Johannes Brahms and shows the musician's family roots in the region.