Marktplatz (Market Square), Heidelberg (must see)

Heidelberg’s Market Square forms the historic heart of the Old Town, opening directly onto the pedestrianised Main Street. Flanked by the Town Hall and the red-sandstone Church of the Holy Spirit, it has served as the city’s principal gathering place since medieval times. Markets, civic ceremonies, and public announcements were held here, but the square also witnessed trials, executions, condemnations for heresy, and the burning of people accused of witchcraft. Those convicted of lesser offences could be confined in a rotating cage suspended near the central fountain, where they were exposed to public ridicule.

The Church of the Holy Spirit dominates the eastern side of the square. Its foundation stone was laid in 1398, and for centuries, the building was shared by Catholics and Protestants. From 1706 until the 1930s, a wall divided the interior between the two denominations. Visitors can examine its Gothic windows, exterior buttresses, historic epitaphs, and surviving electoral tombs. For a small fee, they can also climb the church tower for panoramic views over the Old Town, the Neckar Valley, and the castle hillside. Opposite stands the Baroque Town Hall, while colourful façades, shops, restaurants, and cafés line the remaining sides.

At the centre stands the Baroque Hercules Fountain, created between 1703 and 1706 by sculptor Heinrich Charrasky. The figure of Hercules symbolises the immense effort required to rebuild Heidelberg after its destruction during the War of the Palatine Succession. The statue visible today is a copy; the original is preserved in the Palatinate Museum.

The square remains lively throughout the year. Outdoor markets are traditionally held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, continuing its centuries-old commercial role, while café terraces provide places to sit and observe daily life. During the Christmas season, decorated stalls spread across the square and neighbouring streets. From here, visitors can continue southeast towards Corn Market and Heidelberg Castle or walk west along Main Street towards the university quarter.