Market Square in Bremen (Der Bremer Marktplatz)
Bremen’s Market Square is the city’s main attraction and is home to many famous buildings dating back to the 13th century. The square is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
General information
The square features a 9-meter tall monument called Roland. In his hands he holds the “sword of justice” and a shield decorated with the image of an imperial eagle. According to belief, as long as the statue stands in the Market Square, Bremen will remain a free city. It was because of this that when the area was bombed during World War II, every precaution was taken to preserve the statue.
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The Town Hall, which also stands in the Market Square, was built during the Holy Roman Empire in the early 15th century. The Gothic-style building underwent a restoration in the local “Weser Renaissance” style in the early 17th century.
.Opposite the town hall, on the other side of the square, is the sixteenth-century guild building, whose decoration is a noticeable mix of Gothic and Renaissance style. Another masterpiece that contrasts spectacularly with the old mansions is Bremen’s parliament building, the Haus der Burgerschaft, a modern structure from 1966 made of glass, concrete and steel.
.Bottscherstrasse, which runs from the Market Square to the Weser River, is a brick replica of a medieval alley; today it houses boutiques, cafes, a museum and galleries. The street was opened in 1926 and rebuilt after World War II. It is home to the Roselius-Haus, a 16th-century merchant’s house that houses a collection of medieval art and furniture, and the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum, a prominent artist from Bremen. The museum also exhibits the works of sculptor, painter and architect Bernard Hoetger.
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