Fischmarkt

A picturesque little square in the old town right by Groß St. Martin and the Rhine – its colourful gabled houses are among Cologne's favourite photo spots.

Square Old town Photo spot

The Fischmarkt (Fish Market) is a picturesque little square in the historic old town, right by the Romanesque church of Groß St. Martin and the Rhine bank. Its colourful gabled houses are among the city's most popular photo motifs.

Source: Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-06-24

At a glance

Location: old town, on the Rhine beside Groß St. Martin
First built up: around 1100
Recorded: in the 12th century as "forum piscium"
Today: a popular spot with restaurants and cafés

Where Cologne is at its most colourful

Fish was traded here as early as the Middle Ages – from "Karen", fish boxes on the Rhine bank. Today the Fischmarkt is above all a postcard scene: the row of narrow, brightly painted gabled houses in front of the mighty tower of Groß St. Martin is one of the loveliest views in Cologne's old town – perfect for a stroll along the Rhine.