Cologne's Altstadt is the tight historic quarter between the cathedral and the Rhine, centred on the squares of Alter Markt and Fischmarkt. Most of the medieval buildings were destroyed in the 1943-45 bombing, but the reconstruction — a careful rebuilding of the pre-war fabric — is convincing enough that the area feels genuinely old rather than theme-park new. The Great St. Martin Church tower is the neighbourhood's second landmark after the Dom, visible from most of the quarter's narrow streets.
The area is at its best in the evenings when the brewery houses and bars fill up and the squares come alive. On market days, the Alter Markt hosts regular farmers' and seasonal markets. The Rhine promenade runs along the eastern edge of the Altstadt and is the place to watch river traffic and, in the evening, the light on the water.