Rostock’s large, somewhat bland central square is dominated by the splendid 13th-century Rathaus. The building’s baroque facade was added in 1727 after the original brick Gothic structure collapsed.
Opposite the Rathaus is a series of restored gabled houses and a stylised, sea-themed fountain, the Möwenbrunnen (2001), by artist Waldemar Otto. The explanatory plaque says the four figures are Neptune and his sons, although many believe they represent the four elements.