Haus Wertheym, Renaissance half-timbered house in Altstadt, Germany
Haus Wertheym is a Renaissance half-timbered house located at Fahrtor 1 in Frankfurt's old town, sitting between Romerplatz and the Main River. The building rises several stories with exposed wooden beams and stone foundations, and its facade faces directly onto a pedestrian path near the riverbank.
The building was constructed around 1600 and first served as a warehouse during Frankfurt's trade fairs, before being used as a customs post for the city guard. Over the centuries it changed function several times but kept its original structure largely intact.
Haus Wertheym is one of the few buildings in the old town where visitors can see original timber framing up close, while most surrounding structures are postwar reconstructions. The contrast between this house and its neighbors makes the difference between old and rebuilt Frankfurt easy to read at a glance.
The house sits within easy walking distance of Romerplatz and the Main riverbank, making it a natural stop on any walk through the old town. The ground floor is home to a restaurant serving local Frankfurt food, and booking ahead is a good idea, especially on busy days.
Haus Wertheym is the only half-timbered building in the old town that survived World War II without major damage, at a time when nearly everything around it was destroyed. This means that what you see today is not a reconstruction but the actual fabric of a building from around 1600.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
