Alte Waage Leipzig, Renaissance weigh house in Leipzig, Germany

Alte Waage stands on the north side of Markt square and displays a four-story gable facade with a distinctive sundial at the top. This Renaissance building combines functions for trade, administration, and civic gatherings under one roof.

The building was constructed in 1555 under the supervision of Mayor Hieronymus Lotter and master builder Paul Speck as a Saxon Renaissance structure. Between 1590 and 1712, it served as the central post office for the city council and the Electorate of Saxony.

The name Alte Waage dates from 1820, when weighing moved to a new building outside the Hallisches Tor. In the cellar was the Ratsausschank, the council's own wine tavern, and on the first floor the Herrentrinkstube, where merchants and councillors drank. From 1558 to 1638 the Geleitsmann, responsible for safe conduct on the roads, had his office here.

This building is centrally located on Markt square and easily reached on foot, standing prominently on the city's main plaza. Visitors can view the exterior facade at any time and explore the surrounding arcades of the square.

The weighing operations required specialized techniques and brought the city substantial financial income. The building demonstrates how a single function could exercise significant economic influence on a city.