What it is
Wiener Neustadt was founded around 1194 as a planned fortress town, laid out on a grid with the square at its heart. Arcades line the houses on several sides, many of which have Gothic cores. The town hall on the south side goes back to the 15th century, and the Marian column in the middle was erected in 1678. The town suffered heavy bombing in the Second World War, and many buildings were restored afterwards.
A market is held on the square several times a week, and it is the setting for town festivals and the Christmas market.
Getting there by bus
The Hauptplatz stop, about 60 metres from the square, is served by city lines 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 6, 7, 8 and 10. The Hauptbahnhof is about ten minutes' walk to the west.
The cathedral and the Reckturm are both within a five-minute walk.
