Handelshaus (Trading House)

History: The trading house was extensively rebuilt by textile merchant Daniel Schlumpf in 1585 and served him and later his heirs, who were all active in the textile trade, as a residence and company headquarters. Due to bankruptcy after the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the Zollikofer-Schlumpf family had to sell the house. The subsequent owners were all wealthy townspeople who made only a few changes, so that much of the house's interior has been preserved in its original state. The bay window facing Turmgasse bears the date 1641 and has been preserved in its original state. It was therefore installed in the era of the Zollikofer-Schlumpf family. This oriel had an important public function: from 1667, the so-called “Werckhmarcktsordnung”, which regulated the trade in flax and “Werg”, the raw materials of the linen industry, was read out from here every year. Price guidelines were announced at this central location in front of the town church of St. Laurenzen and speculative purchases and intermediate trade were prohibited. Architecture: The shape of the roof indicates that this is not a single building, but that two houses are combined in the Handelshaus: the corner house and the adjoining house on Turmgasse. The building has two bays, one facing Marktgasse and one facing Turmgasse. In 1887, the west façade was moved back in order to widen Marktgasse - a striking intervention! The façade was given a new design: the original single-storey bay window on the first floor was replaced by a two-storey box bay window with a balcony from the second to the fourth floor. Shop windows were also broken out and the first floor was completely redesigned in a sandstone look and with sculptural decorations above the front door to Turmgasse. Current use: The building houses a store with display windows facing Marktgasse. The façade on Turmgasse is more closed, with a hairdressing salon, offices and an apartment on the top floor.