Bismarckplatz is located at the western end of the main street.
In 1847, a winter harbour was built here to support the shipping traffic of the Neckar, an important source of income for the city. However, at the same time, rail traffic was on the rise and the winter harbour itself was a faulty construction - the entrance was too deep and too narrow, which meant that the water in the harbour basin could not drain away and silted up - so the basin was filled in again in 1874 and a garden was built in its place. On April 1, 1875, Bismarckplatz was given the name of Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Over the years, Bismarckplatz developed into a central hub for public transportation. In 1961, the Horten department store (today: Galeria Kaufhof) opened on the south side of the square and still visually dominates the area today.
At the end of the 1970s, as part of the city modernization concept of the then-mayor Reinhold Zundel, the streetcar was banned from the adjacent Hauptstraße, turning the Hauptstraße, which has its starting point at Bismarckplatz, into a pure pedestrian zone - one of the longest in Europe. As part of these measures, Bismarckplatz also received its current appearance, which is characterized by the facade of the Horten department store, redesigned in 1982, and the fountain sculpture in front of it by the sculptor couple Matschinsky-Denninghoff (1985) (popularly known as the "Spaghetti Column").
A few benches in the northern part provide a resting place by the fountain. The park represents a small haven of peace. From the Neckar Bridge, there is a path to the Bismarck Garden.
Over the years, Bismarckplatz developed into a central hub for public transportation. In 1961, the Horten department store (today: Galeria Kaufhof) opened on the south side of the square and still visually dominates the area today.
At the end of the 1970s, as part of the city modernization concept of the then-mayor Reinhold Zundel, the streetcar was banned from the adjacent Hauptstraße, turning the Hauptstraße, which has its starting point at Bismarckplatz, into a pure pedestrian zone - one of the longest in Europe. As part of these measures, Bismarckplatz also received its current appearance, which is characterized by the facade of the Horten department store, redesigned in 1982, and the fountain sculpture in front of it by the sculptor couple Matschinsky-Denninghoff (1985) (popularly known as the "Spaghetti Column").
A few benches in the northern part provide a resting place by the fountain. The park represents a small haven of peace. From the Neckar Bridge, there is a path to the Bismarck Garden.