The Andreasviertel in Erfurt

During the Middle Ages, mostly craftsmen settled in the Andreasviertel. They build the houses that still characterize the district today. This part of the old town gets its name from the Andreaskirche on Andreasstrasse.

Craftsmanship also had golden ground in the Middle Ages, but you usually don't get really rich with it. This can be seen in the houses. These are rather small and simply built. What appears beautiful today becomes a flaw over the course of the 19th century. The Andreasviertel is considered a poor district. Even before the First World War, there were considerations to fundamentally change the development. Instead of the medieval houses, modern rental apartments are to be built in this inner-city location. From these considerations, the Moritzhof on Moritzstrasse was created after the First World War.

Modern building in 1923.

Not everything Middle Ages

The economic crisis and the Second World War postponed further restructuring plans. The city planners during the GDR era continued to modernize the Andreasviertel in the spirit of their time. Result: A wide car street lined with prefabricated buildings. If the old buildings are completely demolished, the slum area will be brought back into shape. In the mid-1980s, resistance to such plans emerged. Many of the city's citizens are committed to preserving the area. With success: Almost completely derelict, but still recognizable, the Andreasviertel became part of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990. After that it goes up. Mostly private owners renovate the houses with a lot of love.

Today the former quarters of Erfurt's craftsmen have been resurrected. Not everything in the district is medieval. Modern buildings fill the former vacant lots and give the Andreasviertel a special flair.

Sought-after old town location

The layout of the district with its streets and paths is largely preserved. Often a challenge for those unfamiliar with the area: it is not always clear where the sometimes narrow streets begin or end.