Zucht- und Waisenhaus, Heritage monument in Böttchergasse, Weimar, Germany

The Zucht- und Waisenhaus is a 1713 building by master builder Christian Richter at Böttchergasse 9, standing in front of the remains of the Weimar Zeughaus. The corner house is the last remnant of a neighbourhood otherwise destroyed in the Second World War. An inscription above the gate still reads Speiseanstalt, recalling its later use as a school and dining hall.

The building was constructed in 1713 by architect Christian Richter under Duke Wilhelm Ernst's commission and originally served as both a correctional facility and orphanage. It stands today as the sole survivor from its original neighborhood, having endured through World War II when surrounding structures were destroyed.

The name Zucht- und Waisenhaus refers to the building's original double function as a correctional house and orphanage. An inscription at the gate still recalls its later use as a Speiseanstalt, a feeding house for the poor. In 1927 it housed a Mittelstandsküche, a public kitchen for the middle classes, and a sewing and warming room.

The structure sits in Weimar's old town and is easy to reach on foot while exploring the city center. The location on a quiet lane offers a sense of the district's historical layout and neighboring buildings from the same period.

When built in 1713, the structure came with a 30-year tax exemption to encourage people to settle in Weimar and support economic growth. This incentive also attracted a Huguenot community that lived in the area until 1717 before moving on.