Zunfthaus zum Rüden
Encyclopedia
The Zunfthaus zum Rüden (or for short: Rüden) at Limmatquai is the guildhall of the Gesellschaft zur Constaffel, or guild of nobles, one of the 14 traditional guilds of Zürich
. It is one of the historically notable buildings in the Rathaus quarter in Zürich
, Switzerland
.
river. The former mistress of the city, the abbess of the Fraumünster
abbey, used it as mint. By order of the city council, the ground floor was rebuilt in 1348 with stone walls and an open porch hall for use as the city hall. Above this was a drinking club used by the Constaffel, an association of nobles and wealthy merchants, which occasionally hosted meetings of the two hundred members of the Cantonal Council of Zürich
. The building was sold to the Constaffel in 1401.
The name "zum Rüden" derives from the wolf hound, which was adopted in the heraldry of the Constaffel as a symbol of aristocratic hunting rights. It is first mentioned in 1358 in the Fraumünster census. From 1401, the building was known as the "Trinkstube der Herren zum Rüden".
On the Murerplan
of 1576, the building can be seen on the right shore of the Limmat river, south of the Zunfthaus zur Haue
, on the so-called Reichsstrasse (imperial street). Its current form dates from the late 17th century, when it was fitted with an additional timber framing
floor that protrudes on two sides over the lower stone walls, which are about one meter thick.
In 1868, the guildhall was sold by the "Adelige Gesellschaft" (noble society) to the city of Zürich, and in 1937 it was acquired again by the current "Gesellschaft zur Constaffel". At the request of the city government, a pedestrian walkway was built under the arches for harmony with the appearance of the surrounding buildings. Also, exterior renovations were made by the firm Gebr. Bräm and a redesign of the interior was undertaken by Andre Ammann, to preserve the ate Gothic style of the original building and remove subsequent modifications. Impressive features of the Trinkstube – the Gothic hall of the current eponymous restaurant – are the magnificent, eleven-meters-wide, curved wooden ceiling beams with carved heads, and the rich interior.
Zünfte of Zürich
There are fourteen historical Zünfte of Zurich, under the system established in 1336 with the "guild revolution" of Rudolf Brun...
. It is one of the historically notable buildings in the Rathaus quarter in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
History
The building was originally a modest timber structure located to the right of the LimmatLimmat
The Limmat is a river in Switzerland. It is the continuation of the Linth river, known as Limmat from the point of effluence from Lake Zurich, in the city of Zurich. From Zurich it flows in a northwesterly direction, after 35 km reaching the river Aare...
river. The former mistress of the city, the abbess of the Fraumünster
Fraumünster
The Fraumünster abbey in Zurich was founded in 853 by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard. He endowed the Benedictine convent with the lands of Zurich, Uri, and the Albis forest, and granted the convent immunity, placing it under his direct authority.- History :In 1045, King Henry III...
abbey, used it as mint. By order of the city council, the ground floor was rebuilt in 1348 with stone walls and an open porch hall for use as the city hall. Above this was a drinking club used by the Constaffel, an association of nobles and wealthy merchants, which occasionally hosted meetings of the two hundred members of the Cantonal Council of Zürich
Cantonal Council of Zürich
The Cantonal Council of Zurich is the legislature of the canton of Zurich, in Switzerland. Zurich has a unicameral legislature. The Cantonal Council has 180 seats, with members elected every four years.- 2011 Election :...
. The building was sold to the Constaffel in 1401.
The name "zum Rüden" derives from the wolf hound, which was adopted in the heraldry of the Constaffel as a symbol of aristocratic hunting rights. It is first mentioned in 1358 in the Fraumünster census. From 1401, the building was known as the "Trinkstube der Herren zum Rüden".
On the Murerplan
Murerplan
The Murerplan is a map of Zürich, printed in 1576 by Jos Murer .It was combined from six pearwood plates measuring 45 cm squared each. A smaller extra plate was made for the Grossmünster, which would otherwise have been divided between four plates.The original plates have not been preserved...
of 1576, the building can be seen on the right shore of the Limmat river, south of the Zunfthaus zur Haue
Zunfthaus zur Haue
The Zunfthaus zur Haue at Limmatquai is the guildhall of the Zunft zum Kämbel, one of the 14 traditional guilds of Zürich. It is one of the historically notable buildings in the Rathaus quarter in Zürich, Switzerland.- History :...
, on the so-called Reichsstrasse (imperial street). Its current form dates from the late 17th century, when it was fitted with an additional timber framing
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
floor that protrudes on two sides over the lower stone walls, which are about one meter thick.
In 1868, the guildhall was sold by the "Adelige Gesellschaft" (noble society) to the city of Zürich, and in 1937 it was acquired again by the current "Gesellschaft zur Constaffel". At the request of the city government, a pedestrian walkway was built under the arches for harmony with the appearance of the surrounding buildings. Also, exterior renovations were made by the firm Gebr. Bräm and a redesign of the interior was undertaken by Andre Ammann, to preserve the ate Gothic style of the original building and remove subsequent modifications. Impressive features of the Trinkstube – the Gothic hall of the current eponymous restaurant – are the magnificent, eleven-meters-wide, curved wooden ceiling beams with carved heads, and the rich interior.
Literature
- Markus Brühlmeier, Beat Frei: Das Zürcher Zunftwesen. NZZNeue Zürcher ZeitungThe Neue Zürcher Zeitung is a major German language Swiss daily newspaper based in Zurich.One of the oldest newspapers still published, it originally appeared as Zürcher Zeitung, edited by Salomon Gessner, from January 12, 1780, and was renamed to Neue Zürcher Zeitung in 1821...
Buchverlag, Zürich 2005. ISBN 3-03823-171-1