A provision in the oldest municipal statutes from the mid-15th century states: "Holcz, kolen, hoy unde stroe sal man kouffeu vor der stat" (timber, coal, hay, and straw shall be bought outside the city). This indicates that even then, when the square had not yet been incorporated into the fortifications, it already served its later purpose as a timber market.

After the construction of the Old Town's wall fortifications in the second half of the 15th century, the Holztor or Gertrudentor (Timber Gate or St. Gertrude's Gate) — located approximately where the later Deutsches Haus (German House) stood — provided access to the Neugarten district. It was named after the old St. Gertrude's Hospital situated just outside the gate. When the later rampart fortifications were built, the gate was built over.

The Holzmarkt was also separated from the Kohlenmarkt (Coal Market) by a wall fitted with a gate.

From the 18th century onward, the section of the square between Heilig-Geist-Gasse and Breitgasse — separated from the rest of the square by a row of market stalls erected as an extension of Schmiedegasse — was called the "Erdbeermarkt" (Strawberry Market). In 1853 it was merged with the Holzmarkt.

History