MEET IN THE MIDDLE

L ocated in the center of downtown Fredericksburg, Marktplatz offers a place to take in a bit of local history as well as relax.

Marktplatz is also home to many festivals and events throughout the year.

The iconic Vereins Kirche, widely recognized as the symbol of Fredericksburg, stands in the center of the square and is a replica of the first house of worship, meeting place and fortress built soon after the city’s founding in 1846.

Today, the building displays mementos and information on the city’s history.

Marktplatz was originally known as Market Square until the area was redeveloped to its present state in time for the city’s 150th anniversary in 1996.

The area was originally designated by the city’s founder, John O. Meusebach, as a place for people to gather and enjoy themselves.

Today, the area is primarily a showplace, far from the days when it was home to filling stations, used car lots and a variety of other structures, including a youth baseball field.

The “Marktplatz Service Building” is located at the corner of Main and Adams streets and houses a substation for the Fredericksburg Police Department, where bicycle patrols and citizens’ police volunteer organizations can operate out of.

Public restrooms are located on the Adams Street side of the building, with additional restroom facilities located in the adjacent building.

In 2023, construction began on another restroom facility at a building on the corner of Austin and North Crockett streets. The newly renovated structure also includes an indoor event space.

One of the most active areas of the square is a shaded playground, where parents can often be seen socializing while their children run, climb and slide.

Events are often held in one or more of the three covered pavilions – Adelsverein Halle, the Oktoberfest Halle and the Kinder Halle.

Also at Markpltatz are brick walkways, numerous arbors and a History Walk that honors the pioneers of the community, including President Lyndon B. Johnson, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and the men and women who have served in the armed forces, along with Jacob Brodbeck, a pioneer resident of Fredericksburg who significantly impacted early aviation.

A statue of Fredericksburg-born composer Frank Valentin van der Stucken is located in the Pioneer Garden on the square.

Also in the Pioneer Garden near the water wheel is a near-life-size bronze statue of Meusebach’s yet-unbroken peace treaty with the Comanche Indians. Dedicated in 1997, the memorial was placed by the city’s 150th Anniversary committee.

Near the Adelsverein Halle is a Maibaum, or Maypole, erected in 1991 and designed by John W. Schulze, that tells the history of Fredericksburg’s founding and early development through symbolic representations on each tier of the pole. It stylistically mirrors similar installations found in major town squares in Germany.

Brick walkways in the area include engraved bricks recognizing donors who have purchased them to help finance the redevelopment of the square and to perpetuate their names in the community.

At other places, there are benches, lamps and other fixtures.

A bust of the city’s founder, John O. Meusebach, stands in front of the Vereins Kirche.

A historical marker, facing Main Street near one of the pathways to the Vereins Kirche, tells of the historical significance of Marktplatz and invites residents and visitors to make use of the historic square.

Marktplatz is commonly used for many of Fredericksburg’s festivals and events and often serves as a meeting space for residents and visitors to share and enjoy.