One of the nicest things to do in Marburg is to stroll around the small Altstadt. Its focal point is the Marktplatz ; on the south side is the historic Rathaus (1512). From there it’s a steep climb to the Lutheran St-Marien-Kirche , an imposing red-brick church with great views over the lower town. The terrace on the south side is the place to come at sunrise, particularly on weekends, when you’ll often be joined by a motley crowd of students, late-night drinkers, early-morning dog walkers and rough sleepers. At the base of the Altstadt’s Reitgasse are the Universitätskirche (early 1300s), a former Dominican monastery, and the neo-Gothic Alte Universität (1891), still a well-used and well-loved part of the university.
