Gewölbe, Timber-framed house in Wismar, Germany

Gewölbe is a two-storey timber-framed house at Runde Grube 4, with two oriel windows on each of its west and east sides. It stands on two barrel-vaulted bridge arches that give it its name, and the Runde Grube flows beneath it before entering the Old Harbour. The street Am Hafen crosses the stream just west of the building.

The building was erected in the mid-17th century, replacing a similar predecessor from around 1400. It was part of the town fortifications and remained in the city's ownership until 1823. In the 17th and 18th centuries the Weinherren, overseers of the Ratskeller, tested wines landed at the harbour here before they went on to the town hall. In 1864 J. Wesenberg moved his fish and eel smokehouse to the site.

The name Gewölbe refers to the two barrel-vaulted bridge arches on which the house stands. In the 17th and 18th centuries the Weinherren, overseers of the council cellar, tested wines landed at the harbour here before they went on to the town hall; later tenants sold beer. From 1864 J. Wesenberg ran a fish and eel smokehouse on the south side.

The house stands on Runde Grube 4, right where the stream meets the old harbor; the street Am Hafen crosses the water just west of it. The two barrel-vaulted arches carrying the building are best seen from the bridge and the harbor-side path. The ground-floor shop and the neo-Gothic north gable display are visible from outside.

During city fires, the outflow of the Runde Grube into the harbor was blocked with iron gates brought from the municipal building yard, damming water to extinguish the flames. The stream still flows beneath the house through two barrel-vaulted arches.