Marktplaats (Market Square)

Zutphen is a town on the river IJssel in the east of Gelderland, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, and a member of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. Its market place, the Markt, is the main public square of the old town and the best starting point for a walk through it. The square is a broad, open space paved with cobbles, surrounded by narrow gabled houses, some from the late Middle Ages and some from the Golden Age, and it has been the scene of trade, ceremony and entertainment for many centuries. The pattern of streets around it still follows the medieval layout, and the square is bounded by lanes that lead towards the church, the river and the town walls.

The most striking building on the Markt is the Wijnhuistoren, the Wine House Tower, a tall, slender tower from the later Middle Ages. It was part of a building in which the town stored and sold wine, an important trade for a Hanseatic town on a river, and it has a distinctive pointed roof and a carillon that rings over the roofs. Next to it stand other old buildings of the town's commercial elite, and the stepped gables and carved stonework around the square show the prosperity of merchants who traded along the IJssel and beyond. The Waag, the old weigh house, stands nearby, recalling the regulation of trade.

The market itself remains the centre of the square's life. Weekly markets, held on certain days, bring stalls selling vegetables, fruit, cheese, fish, bread and flowers, and farmers and traders come from the surrounding countryside. A lively atmosphere fills the space, with conversation, bargaining and the smell of fresh produce, and cafes around the edge put out tables in good weather. At other times the square is quieter, a place to sit and take in the architecture. Events, festivals and seasonal markets add variety through the year, and in December a Christmas market and lights make the centre attractive.

The square is free and open at all times, and it is a good meeting point. It is the natural starting place for a stroll through the old town, with the great church of Saint Walburga, famous for its medieval chained library, a short walk away, and the old town walls and gates in reach. The regional museum, the botanical garden and the river promenade add more.

The Markt suits history lovers, shoppers and families, and a visit takes half an hour or longer. Zutphen is reached by train from Arnhem, Deventer and Apeldoorn, and the station is a short walk. Market days are the liveliest, so check the schedule.