Welcome to Market Square and the Pyramid
The market square with its pyramid is Karlsruhe's central square and one of the city's most famous landmarks. Margrave Karl Wilhelm is buried beneath the pyramid. It is surrounded by the city church, town hall, and market fountain.
#### **The market square with pyramid** The plan for the **market square with city church and town hall** was developed by the famous Karlsruhe city architect Friedrich Weinbrenner and approved by Margrave Karl Friedrich in 1801. It was also Weinbrenner who designed the important buildings that shape the square, such as the city church and town hall. The result was an ensemble that is considered a **prime example of classicist architecture** worldwide and has retained this character to this day. The **pyramid** is the most striking building on the market square and dominates the square. It is a **monument** to the city's founder, **Margrave Karl-Wilhelm**, and protects his grave. It was first built of wood, then in stone in 1825, exactly on the site where the tomb of the original Concordia Church (demolished in 1807) was located. The preserved crypt dates back to the 18th century. The following anecdote is told about the margrave's grave: According to this story, Grand Duke Friedrich and Court Councilor Hemleben, along with other members of their entourage, visited the crypt at midnight on July 13, 1889. No sooner had the gentlemen left than the court councilor noticed that his umbrella was missing. But it was not until 1998 that the crypt was visited again. No matter how hard they searched, the umbrella could not be found... **Town hall** As early as 1804, the city fathers decided to build a new town hall on the southern part of the market square opposite the Protestant town church. Work on the north wing began in 1805 according to plans by Friedrich Weinbrenner. However, the plans for the main building had to be changed several times. One of the points of contention was the "Hochwachtsturm" (watchtower), which Weinbrenner did not want to do without as a counterpart to the tower of the Protestant town church. Today, it is crowned by Mercury, the symbol of trade and change. It was not until 1821 that the foundation stone for the new town hall was ceremoniously laid, and the work was completed in 1825. It **was severely damaged during World War II**, but was rebuilt by 1955. The center of the building features a columned loggia and, like the side sections, protrudes slightly with its gabled front.
Between the town hall and the town church stands the **market fountain**, designed in 1822, with an octagonal water basin and a statue of Grand Duke Ludwig. The figure, created in 1833 by Aloys Raufer, was reconstructed by Fritz Moser in the early 1950s.
### **Tip** **The cafés and restaurants around the square invite you to take a break and offer the opportunity to watch the hustle and bustle. You can find more information about the market square and its shopping facilities [here](https://www.karlsruhe-erleben.de/Einkaufen/Plaetze/Marktplatz).**
Source: DZT Knowledge Graph
