The Marktplatz is the starting point for any exploration of Wernigerode. The square is dominated by the Rathaus and surrounded by a collection of half-timbered merchants' houses in various colours and styles. On market days (Tuesday and Friday mornings), stalls selling local produce, sausage, and Harz honey fill the square. The Christmas market held here in December is one of the larger ones in Saxony-Anhalt.
From the Marktplatz, the old town spreads out in all directions — the lanes to the north and west have the densest concentration of historic buildings, many dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The tourist information office on the square can provide a walking map of the old town's timber-frame architecture, which is genuinely useful for identifying the most interesting houses.