Haus zum Stockfisch, Erfurt

Haus zum Stockfisch is a Renaissance building in Erfurt featuring a distinctive checkerboard pattern of stone blocks on its ground floor facade. A two-story bay window with ornamental details forms the most prominent architectural feature of the structure.

Paul Ziegler, a woad merchant, built the structure in 1607 on medieval cellars and named it after stockfish, a dried fish product that was an important medieval trade item. The name choice reflects the significant commercial activity that defined Erfurt during that era.

The building has housed the Erfurt City Museum since 1974, with exhibitions that reveal how the city evolved through different periods and social transformations. Visitors can see how this house reflects the broader story of urban development.

The building is open to visitors Tuesday through Sunday and houses exhibitions on city history. The ground floor areas are wheelchair accessible through the entrance hall, making it easy to explore the main exhibition spaces.

The original door knocker from 1607 remains intact and still functions today. Above the entrance portal, different family crests document the succession of building owners across several centuries.