Rudolfplatz

Rudolfplatz is one of Cologne's main inner-ring squares, where several KVB tram and subway lines converge in a busy transit hub. The square is visually anchored by the Hahnentorburg, a 13th-century round tower that survives as one of the last intact gates of Cologne's medieval city wall — now stranded in the middle of modern traffic. The adjacent Zülpicher Viertel turns Rudolfplatz into the gateway to one of Cologne's liveliest bar and nightlife districts, particularly after dark. Each December a smaller Christmas market occupies the square, drawing locals rather than tourists for a noticeably more relaxed seasonal atmosphere than the cathedral markets nearby.