Old Town and the Alter Markt
Old Town and the Alter Markt is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Cologne audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Cologne Cologne guide
About Old Town and the Alter Markt
Cologne's colourful Old Town of gabled houses, brewery taverns, and squares, almost entirely rebuilt after the Second World War flattened the medieval city.
The Altstadt is the heart of old Cologne, a warren of narrow lanes and squares running down to the Rhine between the cathedral and the river. Its centrepiece is the Alter Markt (Old Market), ringed by tall, colourful gabled houses and home to the bronze Heinzelmännchen fountain, which celebrates the city's beloved legend of the house gnomes who once did all the townsfolk's work by night. It is important to understand that almost everything you see is a reconstruction: in the Second World War, around ninety per cent of Cologne's old town was destroyed by bombing. The painstaking post-war rebuilding recreated the historic streetscape, and today the Old Town is once again full of life, its brewery taverns serving Kölsch beer, its squares hosting markets and festivals, and the Romanesque tower of Great St Martin rising above it all.
Did you know? Around 90% of Cologne's old town was destroyed in WWII bombing, the historic centre you see today is a meticulous post-war reconstruction.
How long should you spend at Old Town and the Alter Markt?
Plan about ~60 min at Old Town and the Alter Markt. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Old Town and the Alter Markt worth visiting?
Old Town and the Alter Markt is one of the 8 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Cologne, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Cologne
Hear the story of Old Town and the Alter Markt
Preview the Cologne tour free in the Gingerguide app.