Lübecker Gänge und Höfe, Medieval residential streets in Old Town, Germany
The Lübecker Gänge und Höfe are medieval residential passages and courtyards hidden behind the main street houses in the Old Town, with small two-story buildings lining narrow walkways. These networks show how residents lived in tightly packed areas within the city walls.
During the 14th century, merchants built these residential passages to house workers and craftsmen as the population inside the city walls grew quickly. They developed as a practical response to severe overcrowding in this busy trading city.
The passages and courtyards took their names from the people who lived there or their trades—for example, Garbereiter Gang was named after cooks and food vendors. These names today remind visitors of the working communities that once filled these tight spaces.
From the original 90 passages and courtyards, many remain open to visitors during daylight hours, though some areas may be gated or closed after dark. Plan your exploration for daytime and move respectfully through these spaces, as people still live and work here today.
The Füchtingshof courtyard served as a filming location for Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau's 1922 horror film Nosferatu, making it part of cinema history. You can still walk through spaces that appeared in this landmark of German filmmaking.
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