At Krahnstraße 7, in the heart of the old town, you will find the representative Haus Willmann. The house was built in 1586 in the Renaissance style, although the gable has Gothic features. The façade shows rich ornamentation in the form of, for example, rosettes, half and quarter arches and three wide bands below the rows of windows. They consist of circle-like forms. An angel is enthroned in the roof spire, and below it a battle between a griffin and a lion is depicted. Another element is found in the centre of the carving and depicts the fall of Adam and Eve. This paradise motif usually served as an ornament on the bridal bed, bridal chests or the bride's household goods. The fact that it is used in the house façade suggests that the house was built for a newly married bride and groom. There are gable inscriptions between the storeys.
The Willmann house has always been a trading house. From the 5.40 metre high hallway, goods were pulled up to the upper floors by winches through a large hatch. Cattle, as was usually the case in farmhouses, never existed in this trading house. In 1875, the house was acquired by the Willmann family, who ran a delicatessen and colonial goods shop here and later also a coffee roasting plant. Today, the ground floor houses the wine shop "Wein Fohs."

The Krahnstraße

The Krahnstraße stretches from Nikolaiort to the town hall. Its historical significance is also reflected in its name: the trading houses that used to live here often took advantage of the opportunity to load their goods with the help of cranes attached to their house facades. In addition to the Willmann house, for example, Krahnstraße No. 4 is an important building (Sophie's Café). Built between 1533 and 1555 and largely spared in the Second World War, it is considered the oldest surviving building in Krahnstraße. Many other buildings are listed as Osnabrück architectural monuments, for example Haus Tenge (Krahnstraße No. 1), which was built in the classicist style.
Today, Krahnstraße - also known as "Osnabrück's secret centre - the heart of the old town" - offers a wide range of options for gourmets and shopping enthusiasts. Cafés and restaurants, but also flower, stationery, clothing and art shops enliven the historic quarter.



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