Perhaps it has made you curious. This Lieferhaus on Liefergasse. What could have been delivered here?
The Lieferhaus is a protected monument. It is located at Liefergasse 9 in Dusseldorf. This building is the oldest secular building in Dusseldorf made of stone. Its core is Gothic.
The Lieferhaus is on Liefergasse. This street was established in 1288 during the city’s founding. Liefergasse is the oldest part of Ursulinengasse. It is also part of Mertensgasse, Kapuzinergasse, and Mittelstrasse. The building’s defiant side view impacts the original small-scale buildings of the narrow Liefergasse. This is due to the construction of the District and Regional Court in 1913.
There are several interpretations of the origin and original function of the Lieferhaus. One theory suggests it belonged to the corner building. This building stood at the southeast corner of the first city wall. This assumption is based on the house’s thick walls. They are over one meter thick in the south and east. They suggest a reinforcement as part of the first city wall. Other assumptions include a municipal seat of the counts. This would be before the castle’s construction. It may also have been their main cellar.
The “Lowenhaus” was first mentioned in records in 1382. Leo von Abbema rebuilt the house in the Neo-Gothic style in 1881. In 1890 the half-timbered walls were replaced. The ground floor was rebuilt in 1964. The facade has three axes. The ground floor zone features Gothic-style pointed arches. The facade is topped by a Gothic-style stepped gable.
The Lieferhaus is about as old as the Church of St. Lambertus. St. Lambertus was first mentioned in documents in 1206. Something was delivered here in the past. The Lieferhaus could also be called Dusseldorf’s first tax office. The tithe was delivered here. Back then, it was still paid in kind, such as grain. It was stored in the first house with a stone floor and stone walls. This prevented it from germinating immediately after delivery on the damp ground. At that time, the surrounding houses were mostly wooden huts. That is the reason why they are no longer standing.
Many people today would be happy with a tax rate of 10%. So, remember the Lieferhaus. It is not just an old building. It is a piece of Dusseldorf’s history. It is a reminder of how the city once collected taxes.