Schladming's market square is the most pleasant surprise in a town that most visitors come to for the skiing. The Stadtplatz is a long, wide pedestrian zone lined with 16th- and 17th-century buildings in pastel colours, the dominant building being the late Gothic Parish Church of St. Achatius. The square has been here since the medieval silver and copper mining era, and the town's walls and historic gate (Stadttor) survive at the eastern end.
On the night of the World Cup Night Slalom in January, the Stadtplatz becomes a party: large screens show the race, beer tents fill every available space, and the crowd noise carries up the mountain. The rest of the year it is quieter — cafes and restaurants spill onto the square in summer and the Christmas market in December is one of the better ones in Styria.