Nonnenhaus, Medieval half-timbered building in Tübingen, Germany
The Nonnenhaus is a medieval half-timbered building in Tübingen featuring traditional German timber framing with exposed wooden beams and whitewashed walls. The structure spans multiple levels and today contains shops, a bookstore with cafe, and residential apartments within its rooms.
Built in 1488 as a Dominican convent, the building later housed Beguine nuns until the Protestant Reformation caused its closure in 1534. Its conversion from religious purpose to mixed residential and commercial use reflects centuries of changing needs in the city.
Next to the building, Professor Leonhart Fuchs established a botanical garden, one of Europe's earliest, where he studied and documented medicinal plants. This garden became significant in the early development of botanical science in the region.
The building is publicly accessible as it contains shops, a cafe, and a violin workshop reachable through the main entrance or covered staircase. It is worth exploring the interior to see both original features and how the spaces are used today.
A viewing window in the bookstore floor reveals the original medieval tile surface from 1488, preserved beneath the modern flooring. This fragment offers a direct glimpse at the building's original level from over 500 years ago.
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