Böttcherstraße is a street in the historic centre of Bremen, Germany. It is famous for its unusual architecture and ranks among the city’s main cultural landmarks and visitor attractions. Most of its buildings were erected between 1922 and 1931, primarily as a result of the initiative of Ludwig Roselius, a Bremen-based coffee-trader, who charged Bernhard Hoetger with the artistic supervision over the project. The street and its buildings are a rare example of an architectural ensemble belonging to a variant of the expressionist style. Since 1973, the ensemble is protected by the monument protection act.
Learn all about its history at our guided Böttcherstrassen Tour. You can book your tour here on our website.
The history of Böttcherstraße goes back to the Middle Ages. It constituted an important link between the market square and the Weser river. It was traditionally inhabited by coopers (Northern German: Böttcher). When the harbour was relocated in the mid-19th century, Böttcherstraße’s importance began to fade.
In 1906 Ludwig Roselius, under pressure from the previous owners, bought the house at 6 Böttcherstraße (today’s Ludwig Roselius Museum) and made it the headquarters of his company (which would later produce the HAG coffee brand). He bought other lots in the street throughout the following years. The houses were built of the then typical materials, brick and sandstone.
In 1931 the Atlantis House (Haus Atlantis) was completed. Its distinctive style and materials (glass, steel and concrete) produced a further striking contrast to the other structures.
The Robinson Crusoe House (Robinson-Crusoe Haus) was also erected in 1931. A major attraction is the carillon of Meissen porcelain bells at the Glockenspiel House which chimes several times a day.
In 1937 the NSDAP dressed Böttcherstraße down as reflecting a “divergent view of culture”, on the other hand, the street was listed as an architectural monument, as an “example of the degenerate art of the Weimar period”. Learn all about its history at our guided Böttcherstrassen Tour. You can book your tour here on our website.
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