Weißgerbergasse

Weißgerbergasse is a historic pedestrian street in Nuremberg’s old town, north of the Pegnitz River. More than twenty medieval half-timbered houses line the narrow passage, with small courtyards, rear buildings, stair turrets, and café terraces shaping the view.

Medieval tanners lived and worked here, using water, alum, salt, flour, eggs, and tree oil to turn animal skins into white leather. The river supplied their work and carried away its strong smells, while the houses later survived the destruction of the Second World War. Restoration brought the street back to life, and cafés, bars, boutiques, and craft workshops now occupy spaces once used for tanning.

Look for Nuremberg’s characteristic chörlein, small projecting oriel windows built for watching activity in the lane. Some houses also retain their own wells, a practical reminder of the water that the tanners needed.