Zunfthaus zur Haue, Medieval guild house in Kreis 1, Switzerland
Zunfthaus zur Haue is a medieval guild house at Limmatquai 52 featuring Gothic windows and distinctive stepped gables. The structure combines three separate historical building sections and anchors the Limmat River promenade with its architectural character.
First recorded in 1389, the house initially served as a meeting place for salt merchants and later became the headquarters of the Zunft zum Kämbel. This shift reflects how Zurich's medieval economy moved from individual traders toward organized guild structures.
The building displays painted ornaments and memorial plaques that reflect its long ties to guilds and merchant families. These visual details speak to its importance in Zurich's economic life and how different communities have shaped it over time.
The house sits between Münsterbrücke and Rathausbrücke along an active riverfront section in the city center. Today it houses a restaurant serving traditional Swiss food, making the interior easy to access and giving visitors a reason to step inside.
Deer sculptures and a memorial plaque on the roof commemorate the Salomon Hirzel family who once owned this commercial property. This unusual roof decoration is easily visible from the river and tells of a forgotten link to its former owners.
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