Neumarkt

Cologne's largest square and a central transport hub – at the edge of the Schildergasse shopping street and the Kulturquartier museums.

Square Shopping City centre

Neumarkt (Kölsch Nümaat) is, at over 27,000 m², the largest of Cologne's roughly 30 squares and lies in the southern old town. It is one of the city's most important transport hubs.

At a glance

Size: around 27,000 m² – Cologne's largest square
First recorded: 1076
Location: at the end of the Schildergasse shopping street
Surroundings: the Kulturquartier with the Schnütgen and Rautenstrauch-Joest museums

Source: Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-06-24

Market, traffic and culture

Laid out in 1076 as "novo mercato", Neumarkt long served as a cattle market and festival ground. Today it is a pulsing focal point: numerous tram and bus lines cross here, the busy Schildergasse begins at its edge, and the Kulturquartier with two major museums is just a few steps away.