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.
This place served as a meeting point for civic matters, with a council bar in the basement where city officials gathered. The spaces reflect how trade, administration, and social life intertwined in a medieval trading city.
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.
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