Kallendresser

4.2(9)· Google

A quirky Cologne figure on the Alter Markt baring its backside towards the city hall – a cheeky piece of Cologne folk humour.

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Curiosity Old town

The Kallendresser is one of Cologne's most curious figures. The name is Cologne dialect for someone who relieves himself into the gutter ("Kalle"). The cheeky figure has played a role in Cologne since the Middle Ages.

At a glance

Location: a gable on the Alter Markt (facing the city hall)
Also found: on the consoles of the city-hall tower
Tradition: since the Middle Ages
Character: Cologne folk humour in stone

Source: Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-06-24

A Cologne cheek

A well-known Kallendresser figure bares its backside towards the city hall from a gable on the Alter Markt – a tongue-in-cheek symbol of Cologne's rebellious streak against authority. Corresponding figures can also be found on the city-hall tower. A charming detail that captures Cologne wit perfectly.

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Address

Alter Markt 24
50667 Köln

📍 460 m

Adolph Kolping Monument

4.3(12)· Google

A 1903 bronze monument in front of the Minorite Church to the ‘journeymen's father' Adolph Kolping, founder of the Catholic Kolping Society.

No longer exists📍 430 m Bismarck Monument (Augustinerplatz)

Bismarck Monument (Augustinerplatz)

An early Bismarck statue from 1879 on Augustinerplatz – lost during the Second World War.

📍 300 m

Heinzelmännchen Fountain

4.5(787)· Google

A beloved fountain on Am Hof telling the legend of Cologne's ‘Heinzelmännchen' – a charming landmark right by the Früh brewpub.

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Sources & links

Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-24, rev 240390809)

Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-23

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Kallendresser

At a glance

A Cologne cheek

More photos (Google)