Markt, market square in the old town of Schwerin, Germany

The Markt is a rectangular square in Schwerin's old town, measuring 60 by 52 metres. Its north side is closed by the Neues Gebäude (Säulengebäude), the east by the Rathaus and three gabled houses built in 1975, the south by late-classicist facades from after 1840, and the west by town houses including a partly preserved half-timbered building. The Löwendenkmal stands in front of the Neues Gebäude.

The Markt existed from Schwerin's founding in 1160, when only this square was allowed to host trade in food and crafts, with butchers, bakers and fishermen selling from covered stalls in zones divided by trade. After a fire broke out in a smithy behind the town hall in 1651 and destroyed some 150 houses, city architect Johann Wedel drew a reconstruction plan giving the square roughly its present outline. The baroque town hall was finished in 1654, and in 1783–1785 the Neues Gebäude extended the paved area northward to today's 60 by 52 metres.

The square is also called Altstädtischer Markt to distinguish it from the Schelfmarkt of the Neustadt, which was independent until 1832. Before newspapers, new laws and statutes were read aloud here once or twice a year and at special events, and citizens' assemblies were held. Since 1171, 9 September was a fixed day when outside traders could sell here.

The plaza is easily accessible on foot and is primarily a pedestrian zone where visitors can walk freely without vehicle traffic. Around the square you will find cafes with outdoor seating, shops, and benches where you can sit and observe the bustle of the plaza.

The square's north-east corner was where fish were sold, one of several zones divided by trade. Since 1171, outside merchants were allowed to sell here only on special days such as 9 September. Before newspapers existed, new laws and statutes were read aloud on the square once or twice a year.