Editing Market town (section)

=== German-language area ===
{{Further|Market halls in Berlin|List of markets in Vienna}}

The medieval right to hold markets ({{langx|de|Marktrecht}}) is reflected in the prefix ''Markt'' of the names of many towns in [[Austria]] and [[Germany]], for example, [[Markt Berolzheim]] or [[Marktbergel]]. Other terms used for market towns were ''Flecken'' in northern Germany, or ''Freiheit'' and ''Wigbold'' in [[Westphalia]].

Market rights were designated as long ago as during the [[Carolingian Empire]].<ref>{{cite book |last=MacLean |first=Simon |title=Kingship and Politics in the Late 9th Century: Charles the Fat and the End of the Carolingian Empire |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2003 |isbn=0-521-81945-8 |page=12 }}</ref> Around 800, [[Charlemagne]] granted the title of a market town to ''[[Esslingen am Neckar]]''.<ref>"The Medieval City of Esslingen," ''Neckar Magazine,'' http://www.neckar-magazin.de/english/cities/esslingen/index.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327101946/http://www.neckar-magazin.de/english/cities/esslingen/index.html |date=27 March 2017 }}</ref> Conrad created a number of market towns in Saxony throughout the 11th century and did much to develop peaceful markets by granting a special 'peace' to merchants and a special and permanent 'peace' to market-places.<ref>Fletcher, O., ''The Making of Western Europe,''  Vol. II The First Renaissance, 1100-1190 AD, London, John Murray, 1914, pp 41–42</ref> With the rise of the territories, the ability to designate market towns was passed to the princes and dukes, as the basis of [[German town law]].

The local ordinance status of a market town (''Marktgemeinde'' or ''Markt'') is perpetuated through the law of [[Austria]], the [[Germany|German]] state of [[Bavaria]], and the [[Italy|Italian]] province of [[South Tyrol]]. Nevertheless, the title has no further legal significance, as it does not grant any privileges.

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File:Berlin Markthalle VI Seitenfassade.jpg|Market hall, [[Invalidenstraße]], [[Berlin]], Germany
File:Weeze Marktplatz.jpg|Market place, [[Weeze]], Germany
File:Markt Schmölln.JPG|Market place, with fountain, [[Schmölln]], Germany
File:Floridsdorf about 1895.jpg|Market place, [[Floridsdorf]], Austria, {{Circa|1895}}

</gallery>