Zunfthaus zum Rüden, Medieval guild house at Limmatquai, Zürich, Switzerland
Zunfthaus zum Rüden is a stone building with thick walls and a timber-framed upper floor projecting over the Limmat waterfront. Inside, it contains a restaurant with three separate halls that can accommodate up to 250 people.
The city council ordered the original timber building to be rebuilt in stone in 1348. This transformation made it the new seat of municipal authority and a symbol of Zurich's growing power.
The Constaffel society, founded in 1336, gathers in this building to maintain medieval craft traditions that shaped Zurich's identity. These guild customs remain visible through the formal halls and their continued use for civic assemblies.
The building sits right on Limmatquai, making it easy to find in the old town area. The restaurant operates daily from 7 AM to midnight, so you can visit at any time of day.
The name comes from the rude, a wolf hound featured in the building's heraldry that symbolized aristocratic hunting rights in medieval times. This unusual heraldic reference reflects the house's connection to Zurich's early power structures.
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