Ilse-Kibgis-Platz | Weekly Market & Parking

The Ilse-Kibgis-Platz is one of the two central squares in Gelsenkirchen-Horst and continues to connect everyday life, supply, and neighborhood identity in a compact space. Those looking for the address Harthorststraße 1 will not find an anonymous leftover space, but a place with a clear function in the district: During the week, it is predominantly used as a public parking lot, while on Fridays, the square becomes the location for the Horst-Süd weekly market. Additionally, there is a special urban historical aspect, as the former Horst-Süd marketplace was renamed in 2019 in honor of the Gelsenkirchen poet Ilse Kibgis. For visitors, the square is not only a practical point of contact but also a piece of local memory and an important building block in the ongoing transformation of the neighborhood. ([ratsinfo.gelsenkirchen.de](https://ratsinfo.gelsenkirchen.de/ratsinfo/gelsenkirchen/20418/MjAtMjUuMjQyMA%3D%3D/14/n/131242.doc?utm_source=openai))

Weekly Market Horst-Süd at Ilse-Kibgis-Platz

The weekly market is the most prominent search and usage theme around the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz. In the municipal market overviews, Horst-Süd is explicitly listed as a weekly market location on Harthorststraße; the market hours are on Fridays from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Thus, the square serves as a classic supply location for short-term needs and simultaneously as a meeting point for short distances in the district. In contrast to large inner-city shopping areas, the market here appears manageable, close to everyday life, and directly embedded in the residential environment. Those seeking fresh food, personal advice, and quick shopping on-site will find exactly this mix of function and proximity at the Horst-Süd weekly market. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/aktuelles/artikel/39727-obst-und-gemuese-aus-dem-eigenen-garten-auf-den-gelsenkirchener-maerkten-verkaufen?utm_source=openai))

In the municipal documents regarding the retail concept, the Horst-Süd weekly market is described as part of the local supply center Horst-Markenstraße. It becomes clear that the market does not stand alone, but together with the offerings in the surrounding area supports basic supply for the district. This classification is important because it shows why the square, despite its rather simple basic structure, has high relevance: It complements retail, strengthens foot traffic in the neighborhood, and creates a weekly rhythm that many residents orient themselves around. For SEO and user intent, this is crucial, as inquiries about programs, markets, opening hours, or weekly markets primarily identify the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz as a practical place with clear times and a distinct function. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/infrastruktur/stadtplanung/gesamtstaedtische_konzepte/_doc/2025_Zentrenp_sse_GE_endfassung.pdf?utm_source=openai))

Parking, Access, and Accessibility via Marken- and Harthorststraße

A second central theme is parking. The city of Gelsenkirchen currently describes the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz primarily as a public parking lot. This provides practical added value for many visitors: The square is not only a market location but also an area where short-term parking of cars in the neighborhood is possible. The urban planning documents also mention that there are street-side parking spaces and additional collection areas in the vicinity. For everyday orientation, this means: Those coming to the weekly market, for an appointment in the district, or simply for a short stop in Horst do not have to expect a classic large parking situation, but rather an urban-embedded, functional solution. ([ratsinfo.gelsenkirchen.de](https://ratsinfo.gelsenkirchen.de/ratsinfo/gelsenkirchen/20418/MjAtMjUuMjQyMA%3D%3D/14/n/131242.doc?utm_source=openai))

Accessibility is primarily described in the official concepts via Marken- and Harthorststraße. Additionally, the city mentions the connection to bus lines 383 and SB36 for the transport connection of the location. This makes the square accessible for both drivers and public transport users, which is particularly relevant for a neighborhood square. The location in the Horst center area ensures that the square does not appear as a peripheral location but as part of a functioning local supply area. Therefore, those searching for access, parking, or bus connections will find a location here that is consciously oriented towards short distances and everyday mobility in the neighborhood. ([ratsinfo.gelsenkirchen.de](https://ratsinfo.gelsenkirchen.de/ratsinfo/gelsenkirchen/9478/RUhLX0dFX0VudHd1cmZfVGVpbCBDX3B2UmF0LnBkZg%3D%3D/12/n/70289.doc?utm_source=openai))

Toilets, Quality of Stay, and Practical Visitor Information

Practical visitor information is often as important for a market and square location as the main attraction itself. For the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz, the city also provides specific information: In the overview of public toilets, GE-Horst-Süd, Harthorststraße is listed as a location. Additionally, the city points out that toilets at marketplaces are open during market hours. For Horst-Süd, the hours are indicated as Friday from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Therefore, those visiting the weekly market or staying longer in the area on Fridays can incorporate this information directly into their planning. This is particularly important for families, older adults, and visitors with longer stays. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/soziales/leben_mit_behinderungen/barrierefreie_stadt/oeffentliche_toiletten.aspx?utm_source=openai))

The quality of stay also includes that the square does not function as a closed event venue but as an open urban space. The city describes the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz in the current participation process as a place that should be further developed into an inviting, lively, and climate-adapted square with high quality of stay. This direction is relevant when considering practical questions such as accessibility, seating, shade, short distances, and pleasant use in everyday life. Although the square is currently primarily perceived as a parking lot and weekly market area, its potential lies in the combination of function and future enhancement. For visitors, this means: The place is useful today, possibly even more comfortable tomorrow, and in the long term, a central building block for a better usable neighborhood center. ([mitmachen.gelsenkirchen.de](https://mitmachen.gelsenkirchen.de/ilsekibgisplatz?utm_source=openai))

History of the Square and the Renaming of Horst-Süd

The name change from Horst-Süd to Ilse-Kibgis-Platz is more than a cosmetic detail. Ilse Kibgis was a Gelsenkirchen poet and author known for her Ruhr area literature and received several awards for her work. In 2019, the marketplace Horst-Süd was renamed in her honor. This gave the square a name that is not only locally anchored but also conveys cultural identity. From an SEO perspective, this background is important because many search queries connect not only to the current object but also to old designations, historical names, and local memory culture. Therefore, those searching for Harthorststraße, Horst-Süd, or Marketplace Horst-Süd will always end up at the same place in content. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/stadtprofil/stadtgeschichten/gelsenkirchener_persoenlichkeiten/Ilse_Kibgis.aspx?utm_source=openai))

The renaming also fits the structure of the Horst district, where squares and streets are strongly intertwined with everyday use. In the official documents regarding the center structure, it is noted that the area around Harthorststraße is described as a large, slightly elevated urban square. This shows that the place has never been just traffic spaces or just commercial areas, but always a mixed type of square, market, and neighborhood space. This mixture makes its history interesting: A place that has been defined primarily by its function for decades now receives an identity-forming level through the name Ilse-Kibgis-Platz. For visitors, the square remains easily identifiable, while it gains a more distinctive profile in the city’s memory. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/infrastruktur/stadtplanung/gesamtstaedtische_konzepte/_doc/2025_Zentrenp_sse_GE_endfassung.pdf?utm_source=openai))

Redesign with Prima.Klima.Horst and the Future of the Square

The future of the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz is already a concrete topic in Gelsenkirchen-Horst. On the city's participation platform, the square is described as one of the two central squares in the district. As part of the project Prima.Klima.Horst, it is to be further developed into an inviting, lively, and climate-adapted place with high quality of stay. For this purpose, the city is working with a planning office on a feasibility study and involves the population from the very beginning. Workshops, participation walks, and online participation are already part of this process. This makes it clear: This is not about an abstract vision, but about a step-by-step, publicly accompanied development of a real urban space. ([mitmachen.gelsenkirchen.de](https://mitmachen.gelsenkirchen.de/ilsekibgisplatz?utm_source=openai))

It is particularly noteworthy that the city has already announced a temporary test space on the square for the summer of 2026. According to the available information, part of the square will be redesigned from August 13, 2026, to September 11, 2026, and equipped with new design elements. This is an important signal from the perspective of urban development because it shows that participation and experimentation do not only occur at the end of a planning process but become visible directly on-site. In connection with the planned funds for the redesign and the mentioned participation formats, the impression of a genuinely intended enhancement process arises. Therefore, those visiting the square today not only see the current state but also a neighborhood that is rethinking its center. ([mitmachen.gelsenkirchen.de](https://mitmachen.gelsenkirchen.de/ilsekibgisplatz?utm_source=openai))

Horst in the Surroundings: Local Supply, Urban Square, and Neighborhood Life

The Ilse-Kibgis-Platz can best be understood when viewed not in isolation but as part of the Horst supply and neighborhood structure. In the municipal center passes, the local supply center Horst-Markenstraße is described with a large, slightly elevated urban square; at the same time, accessibility via Marken- and Harthorststraße, street-side parking spaces, and connections to bus lines are mentioned. Additionally, the Horst-Süd weekly market is explicitly listed as part of this center. From an SEO perspective, this environment is relevant because many search queries do not only target the individual square but also parking, shopping opportunities, bus connections, and the question of how well the neighborhood center actually functions. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/infrastruktur/stadtplanung/gesamtstaedtische_konzepte/_doc/2025_Zentrenp_sse_GE_endfassung.pdf?utm_source=openai))

The social life around the square is also visible. The municipal event calendar names the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz as the venue for the neighborhood summer festival Horst, which shows that the square is not only used for markets and parking but also serves as a stage for community and encounters. This is precisely where the strength of the place lies: It is not spectacular in the classical sense, but it is relevant to everyday life, visible, and adaptable. Those visiting Horst experience here an urban square that brings together supply, short distances, local history, and future enhancement. Thus, the Ilse-Kibgis-Platz is a good example of how a seemingly simple place can become a central reference point for orientation, errands, and neighborhood development. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/veranstaltungskalender/89338-quartierssommerfest-horst?utm_source=openai))

Sources:

• City of Gelsenkirchen - Ilse Kibgis
• City of Gelsenkirchen - Ilse-Kibgis-Platz
• City of Gelsenkirchen - Online Participation for the Future of Ilse-Kibgis-Platz Started
• City of Gelsenkirchen - Retail Concept Gelsenkirchen 2024
• City of Gelsenkirchen - Public Toilets
• City of Gelsenkirchen - Neighborhood Summer Festival Horst