Wallrafplatz

A small historic square between the cathedral and Hohe Straße – once the heart of Cologne's printing quarter, today by the WDR broadcasting house.

Square Old town

Wallrafplatz lies in Altstadt-Nord, just a few steps between the cathedral and the Hohe Straße shopping street. The small square looks back on a long history as a printing quarter.

Source: Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-06-24

At a glance

Location: Altstadt-Nord, between the cathedral and Hohe Straße
Named after: Ferdinand Franz Wallraf
History: historic printing quarter
Today: near the WDR broadcasting house on Wallrafplatz

From printing press to broadcasting

In the Middle Ages important lanes crossed here, and from the 16th century printing families such as the Gymnichs settled in the area. The square is named after the Cologne collector and benefactor Ferdinand Franz Wallraf. Today the neighbouring WDR broadcasting house shapes the place – a direct line from Cologne's early media history to modern broadcasting.