The Marktplatz provides a central gathering place for the residents of Dusseldorf to come together and celebrate on festive occasions. Bounded by the elaborate baroque and neo-renaissance architecture of the city hall to the North and scattered with bars and cafés, the square is the perfect place to get acquainted with the city. In the winter, it plays host to traditional fairs and festivities, while during the summer months it is a great place to kick back and watch the world go by with a cool drink or an ice cream.
Take a walk around and take a look at the public artworks and architecture. Johann Wilhelm II, seventeenth century Elector Palatine of the Rhine area, sits proudly on horseback at the very heart of the Square. Legend has it that a small boy collected donations from local residents to allow the sculptor Gabriel Grupello to finish this masterpiece, which was started in 1711. This determined boy is commemorated in a separate statue by Willi Hoselmann, also to be found in the Square.
The Square is an important venue in the city’s Karneval Season. Every year the celebrations begin here with the ‘Hoppeditz Awakening’, a kick-off event at 11.11 am on 11th November, where the comedic character of Hoppeditz is roused to oversee the calendar of events. The balls, parties and parades carry on until Ash Wednesday, creating a hedonistic, fun-filled atmosphere throughout the city centre.
In the run up to Christmas, traditional stalls selling hand carved wooden decorations and blown glass set up shop here for the annual Christmas markets. Browse the stalls for Christmas presents and artisan decorations, or simply soak up the atmosphere by sipping on a warm spiced Glühwein and indulging in some authentic German gingerbread.
No matter what time of year you arrive in Dusseldorf, the Marktplatz is a great starting point for your voyage of discovery. Just a short walk from the tram stop of Heinrich-Heine-Allee, it is close to both the Hofgarten and the shops of Königsallee.
