A whispered secret. That’s what Lincks Gartenhaus feels like. Tucked away it seems to hold its breath.
Here before you stands Lincks Gartenhaus a true gem of Leipzig’s Baroque past. Built in 1757 this isn’t just any garden house. It’s a summer retreat for Johann Heinrich Linck the younger. He owned the Lion Pharmacy a prominent establishment in Leipzig. Imagine the air thick with the scent of herbs and medicines. He had this idyllic escape constructed.
Linck’s Gartenhaus is more than just a pretty facade. It’s a testament to skilled craftsmanship. Note the elegant oval shape of the central section. Observe the two single-story wings. They were designed as orangeries. Picture the vibrant citrus trees flourishing within.
The building’s history isn’t without its twists. The main section and rear wall were built of stone. The gables and side wings were timber framed. The left wing served as an orangery. The center held two oval halls each with fireplaces. The upper hall boasted a stucco ceiling adorned with 30 rococo ornaments. A staircase in the right wing led to the upper rooms. A luxurious retreat for its time.
Linck’s friend was the occultist Johann Georg Schrepfer. He held séances right here on Linck’s property. It is known that Schrepfer was even temporarily arrested here in 1773. A rather unexpected detail for a garden house.
The building suffered various alterations over the centuries. By the end of the 18th century it was altered for residential and commercial use. Its original appearance was gradually lost. Expansions and demolitions changed the structure greatly. In the 1980s its historical importance was recognized. A restoration began. It was a huge undertaking. The original stucco ceiling was partially reconstructed. The side wings were rebuilt.
Today Lincks Gartenhaus has found new life. Though it once was obscured it now stands almost as it once did. The garden house stands proudly. It is home to a law office. A place where legal matters are settled rather than spirits summoned. Yet the echoes of the past remain. The whisper of history. Here in Lincks Gartenhaus.