Schnoor - Development

Development

Today the oldest houses date back to the 15th century. Most of them are from the 17th and 18th centuries. While other parts of Bremen developed with plots of about one square kilometre and merchant's villas, the plots in the Schnoor have areas which are just enough for a single houses on 55 square metres. The narrow streets were not suitable for the increase in traffic from the 19th century. The quarter became one of the poorest parts of Bremen, a situation that meant renovations were unaffordable. During the Second World War the Schnoor suffered only slight damage, so that owners of the houses had to pay a Lastenausgleich after 1945. But by the mid-1950s the houses were in a pitiable state.

The Senate of the Free Hanseatic Town of Bremen decided in 1959 to rebuild the historic area of the Schnoor. House owners were invited to restore rundown buildings with financial support from the State of Bremen. This development was in contrast to the common practice in many towns and cities in Germany and Europe until the late 1970s.

The situation changed with the Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites 1964 so that after 1970 the Schnoor became a historic district under official heritage conservation through the State Monument Authority.

One of the most famous houses which has been preserved in its original state is the Schifferhaus in the street of Stavendamm.

• The "Concordenhaus" (1630)

• Front of the "Amtsfischerhaus" (1759)

• Old restaurant "Kaiser Friedrich" (1630)

• New restaurant in an old house

• Entrance to the "Katzencafé"

• Old Tea House, street "Hinter der Holzpforte"

• Schnoor 37 (1601)

• Part of the street "Schnoor", way to the new houses

• New houses, end of 20th century