Schwarzer Walfisch, building and inn in Flensburg, Germany
The Schwarzer Walfisch is a residential house from the 16th century in Flensburg that was later used as a restaurant. Visible roof structures in the cellar date from this early time, while the facade was substantially renewed in 1751 and an adjacent storage building from the 17th or 18th century is preserved.
The house was built in the 16th century and once sat directly at the harbor, which gradually moved farther away over the centuries. Since 1837 it served as a restaurant and was expanded with additions in 1887 and 1897.
The Schwarzer Walfisch gets its name from the whaling era, when ships sailed from Flensburg to Greenland. The name still reminds visitors today of this maritime past and makes the house a symbol of the old harbor town.
The building is closed to the public today but visible from outside and accessible for photographs. A small craft shop occupies the ground floor and opens occasionally for visitors, so a walk past can be worthwhile.
The restaurant was long a meeting place for wealthy merchants and professionals who gathered weekly at the table of the 'Right Corner'. This exclusive group of about 56 members still exists today and shows the house's long connection to local life.
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