Weinstadel

The Weinstadel is a medieval half-timbered building beside the Pegnitz River in Nuremberg’s old town. Its architecture combines timber framing with a riverside setting.

Built between 1446 and 1448, the Weinstadel first served as a leprosarium during Easter. People with leprosy received shelter, food, clothing, and medical care within its walls.

Around 1571, the building became a wine warehouse, giving Weinstadel its name. Later, it housed a workhouse, a spinnery, and impoverished families.

Second World War bombing damaged the structure, while its historic exterior survived. The building later became a student residence for the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Its rust-brown and white timber frame stretches 48 metres along the Pegnitz. Hangman’s Bridge and golden weeping willows add visible detail beside the façade.

The Weinstadel stands near a former city wall and a fortified bridge across the river. Its changing uses connect medieval care, wine storage, industry, housing, and university life.

The site is recorded as wheelchair accessible and remains a notable architectural landmark in Nuremberg. Its long façade gives the riverfront a distinctive historic presence.