The timber-framed houses on the Krayenkamp street are among the oldest surviving residential buildings in central Hamburg. They were built between 1620 and 1700 in the vicinity of nearby St. Michael’s Church. The buildings belonged to a guild of grocers (Kramer), who dealt in spices, silk and hardware. Their code of arms, a scale, can still be seen on some of the houses’ walls. While the merchants operated shops on ground-floor, the rooms upstairs were provided to widows of deceased guild members. The trade guild was prosperous enough to finance this early kind of self-organised pension system. Not being allowed to run their deceased husbands’ operations, the widows were granted these homes as compensation, along with a modest monthly income and regular deliveries of fuel.
The Krameramtsstuben (lit. 'Grocers' Appartments') have been protected as heritage buildings since 1933. They miraculously survived the bomb raids of WWII without considerable damage, and today the buildings house many small shops and galleries on their ground floors. The oldest of the houses underwent restorations during the 1970s and can be visited as a Museum of Hamburg History satellite. Original 1850s furnishings provide a unique insight into urban middle-class life of the 19th century.
Opening Hours:
Apr — Oct: Mon, Wed — Fri 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Sat — Sun 10 a.m. — 6 p.m.
Nov — Mar: Sat — Sun 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
The museum is closed on 1 January and 24, 25, 26 and 31 December. All other holidays, opening times are 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
Getting there:
U3 to Rödingsmarkt, S1, S2, S3 to Stadthausbrücke or bus routes 17 or 37 to Michaeliskirche
