Bremen Old Town

The Rathaus was built from 1405 and given a Weser Renaissance front in 1612, and its interior survived the Second World War intact, including the Upper Hall with its ship models hanging from the ceiling. In front stands the Roland, a stone figure over five metres tall erected in 1404 holding a sword of justice, put up as a statement of the city's imperial immediacy and freedom from the archbishop; UNESCO listed both together in 2004. Beside the town hall stands the bronze of the Bremen Town Musicians of 1953, a donkey, dog, cat and cockerel from the Grimm tale; visitors grip the donkey's front legs for luck.

The main sights

• The town hall - a Gothic building with a 1612 Renaissance front and intact interior.
• The Roland - a 1404 stone figure asserting the city's freedom.
• The Town Musicians - the 1953 bronze of the Grimm tale animals.
• The Böttcherstrasse - a 1920s expressionist brick street off the square.

When to go

April to October; the town hall interior is seen on guided tours at set times and closes for civic functions. Christmas markets fill the square in December.

Things to know

Town hall access is tour-only with fixed times. The square is crowded in season. The Musicians statue always has a queue.

Nearby

The Schnoor quarter lies south; Bremerhaven is downriver.