Market Square

A fountain with a statue of Hercules on a column, built between 1703 and 1706, forms the centerpiece of the Market Square. This hero of Greek myths, known for his strength, symbolizes the heroic efforts that Heidelberg’s residents made to rebuild their devastated city in the years after 1700.

The Hercules statue in the fountain today is a replica, however; the original is in safekeeping in the Kurpfälzisches Mu-seum. Twice a week an open-air market takes place in the Market Square. The rest of the time – during the warm months of the year – it holds several outdoor cafés.