A market square (also known as a
market place) is an
urban square meant for trading, in which a market is held.
It is an important feature of many towns and cities around the world.
A market square is an open area where
market stalls are traditionally set out for trading, commonly on one particular day of the week known as ''market day''.
A typical
English market square consists of a square or rectangular area, or sometimes just a widening of the main street. It is usually in the centre of the town, surrounded by major buildings such as the
parish church,
town hall, important
shops and
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
s, and the
post office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...
, together with smaller shops and business premises. There is sometimes a permanent covered
market building or a
cloth hall, and the entire area is a traditional meeting place for local people as well as a centre for trade.
File:Rynek Starego Miasta We Wroclawiu (152991773).jpeg, Market Square, Wrocław, Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
File:Sukiennice and Main Market Square Krakow Poland.JPG, Main Square, Kraków, Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
File:SM Ostrów Wielkopolski Ratusz 2022 (3753).jpg, Market Square in Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland
File:14-08-12-helsinki-RalfR-N3S 0357-035.jpg, Market Square, Helsinki, Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
File:Alte Markt Dortmund.JPG, Market Square in Dortmund, Westphalia, Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
File:Market Square, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 3490535.jpg, Market square in Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfor ...
, England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
File:Saturday market in Red Lion Square - geograph.org.uk - 3551701.jpg, Market square in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
File:Plaza Mayor de Madrid 06.jpg, Market square in Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
See also
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List of city squares
*
List of city squares by size
*
Marketplace
*
Markt
*
Piazza
*
Plateia
*
Plaza
References
{{Authority control
Town squares
Retail markets