Kielmeyerhaus

Kielmeyerhaus is a building with Renaissance half-timbering located at Marktplatz 3 in Esslingen am Neckar. Its ground floor contains a five-meter-high wine-press hall with ancient vaulted cellars and originally housed eight large wine presses for grape processing.

The building was constructed in 1582 by master carpenters Jacob Johann and M. Jacob Zech to replace a winery that had burned down belonging to the Katharinenspital hospital. This reconstruction was part of restoring an important wine production facility.

The facade displays the imperial coat of arms with the Golden Fleece chain and a depiction of Saint Catherine alongside the hospital emblem. These symbols tell of the connection between the empire and the local hospital community.

The building sits on the Marktplatz, a central location in the old town that is easily walkable from most areas. The ancient cellars beneath the structure can be visited and provide insight into historic wine production methods.

At the southwest corner of the building stands a black figure called Keltermanle holding the coat of arms of stonemason Hans Flachtern with his distinctive mark. This unusual representation is a rare example of a medieval craftsman signing his work on a public structure.