Pastorius House

Pastoriushaus combines a protected historic house with a working winery, wine cellar, hotel, and modern vinotheque. Its older section dates from 1619 and retains a half-timbered upper floor.

The two-storey structure has a pitched roof, while another half-timbered section extends eastwards from after 1825. Franz Daniel Pastorius was born here in 1651. He later became the first German emigrant to America and wrote a 1688 memorandum against slavery. Extracts from that memorandum appear in glass facing the market square.

The Steinmann family acquired the house in 1916 and built a livelihood through fruit trading, farming, distilling, and hospitality. Wine growing became the main business focus in 1960. The estate grows Silvaner, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, and red grape varieties within its continuing wine business.

Renovation in 1991 added guest rooms, meeting facilities, a roof terrace, and a shared room. Guided visits descend into the wine cellar, linking the building’s historical record with its present winemaking work. The vinotheque was completed in May 2015. Oak, shell limestone, matt concrete, and broad glass surfaces define its pavilion beside a courtyard well. Historic red sandstone slabs remain preserved beneath the former foundation. Pastoriushaus holds architectural change, migration history, and family winemaking in one clearly connected place.