Shopping and feasting in the Market Hall Rotterdam

The Markthal is right in the centre of Rotterdam. It is a spectacular building that houses a mix of shopping mall, living spaces, restaurants, shops and car parks. Shoppers can browse the market on 7 days a week and try a variety of different foods.

Markthal Rotterdam – Market Hall Rotterdam

The Market Hall Rotterdam was opened in 2014. Archaeologist made some pretty interesting discoveries during construction. They found weapons, tools, jewellery, cooking utensils and the remains of a very old farm. Some of these pieces are on display in the Market Hall Rotterdam now. A little exhibition was put up on the way from the ground floor into the basement car park and it is called “Timetravel”. The further one descends down the building towards the basement the older the pieces on display are.

The building is horseshoe-shaped and has 11 storeys. It reminded me a little of an aeroplane hangar. The façade on the front and the back of the building are made of glass and metal wires. This looks great in pictures, especially when it is illuminated.

In the basement of the building are a supermarket and a car park with over 1000 spaces. This basement car park is for visitors and inhabitants of the Market Hall and is permanently open. It has spaces with charging facilities for electric vehicles and some spots can be booked and paid online before arrival.

The market, the main attraction of the Market Hall, is on the ground floor. It is the first indoor food market in the Netherlands. There are specialist shops at the edges of the market that have their focus on food and drinks.

The Market Hall itself is pretty spectacular and I was impressed by the wide variety of market stalls and foods to try. A lot of it is aimed at tourist but I was okay with that.

I liked what was sold and enjoyed strolling through the rows and rows of market stalls.

Visitors can find a multitude of restaurants and bars on the first floor.

From the second floor up there are flats in different sizes along the long edges of the building. These flats have windows facing the market hall but those cannot be opened. For the tenants, the bustle of the Market Hall is visible but not immediately tangible. Every flat also has a balcony on the outside of the building.

It is estimated that annually 4.5 to 7 million people visit the Market Hall Rotterdam. Many of them are certainly tourists that are attracted by the spectacular building, just like us.

News

On March 29, you can already experience the festive atmosphere of Eid al-Fitr in the Markthal! During this event, you can do your shopping or get acquainted with the delicious Middle Eastern delicacies that are served during the festival. Come along and discover the flavors that characterize this special festival, from baklava to dates, and be surprised by a selection of sweets that are perfect for Eid al-Fitr.
Read more.

Sugar Festival

Sunday 30 March

12.00 – 18.00

Rotterdam Marathon

Sunday 13 April

10.00 – 18.00

Good Friday

Friday 18 April

10.00 – 21.00

Easter

Easter Sunday 20 April	12.00 – 20.00
Easter Monday 21 April	10.00 – 20.00

Art in the Market Hall Rotterdam

After walking inside the Market Hall our gaze went up to the ceiling first. It is decorated in bright and vibrant colours. Honestly, I stood there for a while and kept spotting new things.

A team of artists created the 1100m² still life “Hoorn des Overvloeds” (horn of plenty) in the style of the old Dutch masters. Roughly 4000 1.5 x 1.5 m glass panels were painted with larger than life depictions of fruits, animals and flowers. And for some unknown reason the depiction of a crane.

All design elements are disproportionately large and standing here in the Market Hall looking up at the ceiling makes me feel like the smallest creature. This must be what ants feel like when they see the world around them. I was more captivated by the painting on the ceiling than by the goods sold in the Market Hall.

Street market next to the Market Hall

If the hustle and bustle of the Market Hall is a little too touristy for your taste then head over to the street market just in front of it.
Here you can buy fresh fruit, veggies, cheese, meat, flowers… There are food stalls, too. We couldn’t walk past the delicious Dutch chips with peanut sauce without having some. This dish is a mandatory part of every trip to the Netherlands for me.