Markt

With tall, old buildings looming over a relatively small space, Bremen's Markt is one of the most remarkable in northern Germany.

The twin towers of the 1200-year-old Dom St Petri (St Petri Cathedral) dominate the northeastern edge, beside the ornate and imposing Rathaus (town hall). Although the Rathaus was first erected in 1410, the Weser Renaissance balcony in the middle - crowned by three gables - was added between 1595 and 1618.

The one obviously modern building on the Markt is the Haus der Bürgerschaft (State Assembly; 1966), whose geometrical steel-and-concrete structure features artfully moulded pieces of metal attached to its façade, helping it to blend in with the historic square.