Market Woman and Policeman Fountain at Münzplatz

The Münzplatz is located in Koblenz's old town and was named after the former electoral Trier mint. The coins of the Electors of Trier were minted in Koblenz with few interruptions from the middle of the 11th century. The Mint Master's House, a baroque building with a plain plaster facade, has been in the area of today's Mint Square since 1667. At that time, several buildings belonged to the mint (smelting works, draw frame, stamping mill, metalworking shop, white piece kitchen, annealing furnaces, prober house), which were demolished at the beginning of the 19th century and opened up today's mint square. Only the former residence of mint master Meydinger, which was built by Johann Seiz in 1761/63 and temporarily served as a police station, has been preserved. The roof truss is still original, as is the old wooden staircase inside and the stucco ceiling with two old oven niches on the 1st floor.

The fountain on the square, created by Willi Heinzen, is a gift from the Sparkasse Koblenz to the city and its citizens on the occasion of the 2000th anniversary in 1992.

The Metternicher Hof, the "Haus Metternich", is located at today's Münzplatz 8. It was built in 1674 as the Stadthof of the Barons of Metternich-Winneburg. Clemens Wenzeslaus von Metternich was born here on May 15, 1773. He later served as foreign minister and state chancellor to the Austrian Empire and chaired the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15.

The outbuildings of the farm were already demolished in the 19th century. Towards the end of World War II the house burned down and was only rebuilt in 1976.

Today there is a youth meeting place and rooms for art exhibitions in the Metternich house.

The market woman Ringelstein is located on the Münzplatz and is close to the police station where police officers were on duty from 1952 to 1978. She is sitting next to the policeman Otto. The children used to call out to her, “Ms. Ringelstein, Ms. Ringelstein, doh, baste en greet Hond sain Bein. Da pees on the man spinach. Dat mixes da Krom suh delicate” (“man” is the wicker basket). The Münzplatz was the city's market square until the 1960s. Even today, a weekly market takes place on the Münzplatz every Saturday.

The two bronze figures were made by the sculptor Fritz Berlin (1924-1997). The policemen of the legendary police station 1 helped the market women carry their goods and were rewarded with vegetables.
Source: KuLaDig "kuladig.de/Object View/O-108162-20141120-2"

Not far from these two figures stands the drummer.

The policeman Otto is located on the Münzplatz and stands for the police officers who did their duty in the police station on this square from 1952 to 1978. The market woman Ringelstein is sitting next to the policeman. The Münzplatz was the city's market square until the 1960s. Even today, a weekly market takes place on the Münzplatz every Saturday.

The two bronze figures were made by the sculptor Fritz Berlin (1924-1997). The policemen of the legendary police station 1 helped the market women carry their goods and were rewarded with vegetables.

The following saying can be read between the two bronze figures: "The matron sows the policeman, so it's good for me now. My husband peed (= wicker basket with vegetables), Dae Nobersch her Hond."
(Anna Serwas, University of Koblenz-Landau, 2014)