Surroundings of Cologne Cathedral, Pedestrian area at Cologne Cathedral, Germany.

The Surroundings of Cologne Cathedral is a stone-paved pedestrian zone in central Cologne that wraps directly around the cathedral and connects to the main train station. The area is lined with restaurants, cafes, and shops, and opens onto the Rhine River on one side.

In the Middle Ages houses, the archbishop's prison Hacht (1165) and the cathedral provostry (1363) stood directly against the cathedral. From 1826 to 1893, two churches and 69 houses were demolished to free the completed cathedral as a national monument. Between 1968 and 1970 Fritz Schaller built the Domplatte, a stepped concrete platform at portal level, with a two-storey underground car park for 613 cars added beneath it in 1969–1971.

The name Domplatte refers to the concrete platform built from 1968 to 1970 by Fritz Schaller, which raised the pedestrian level to that of the cathedral portals. The surface is covered with multi-coloured granite paving, and stairs lead up to it from the west near the traffic office and from the north by the main station. The open space hosts Carnival and pop concerts.

The whole area is flat and easy to walk, with no major obstacles, making it straightforward to get around on foot or by wheelchair. Arriving by public transport is the most practical option, as the main train station sits right at the edge of the zone.

The Domplatte, built from 1968 to 1970 by Fritz Schaller, raised the pedestrian level to the cathedral portals, which had previously been reachable only by stairs. Beneath it, a two-storey underground car park for 613 cars was built from 1969 to 1971. The Roman-Germanic Museum opened beside it on 4 March 1974.