The Königsplatz was laid out after the ring of fortifications around the city had been removed. The strong fortress bastions had held out for centuries and Kassel was one of the few cities not to be conquered in the 30 Years' War.
By the end of the 18th century, however, war and siege techniques had advanced to the point where the fortifications became useless. Six streets radiate into the square. Today, only the building of a bank bears witness to the once glamorous peripheral buildings. And where a large shopping gallery can be seen these days, there used to be the old post office, also an inn, where Johann Wolfgang von Goethe stopped off four times. He praised this brightly lit city and the daylit Königsplatz.
Kingsplatz is the geographical centre of the city. At this point, the altitude of 163 metres above sea level is also determined. At the same time, it is the centre of the pedestrian zone around Königsstraße.
