Zeughausgasse
Encyclopedia
The Zeughausgasse is one of the streets in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland
. It is part of the Innere Neustadt which was built during the second expansion in 1255 to 1260. The eastern end is at Kornhausplatz
while the western end is at Waisenhausplatz
. It is part of the UNESCO
Cultural World Heritage Site
that encompasses the Old City.
abbey was built throughout the 13th and 14th Centuries. In 1527 the abbey was secularized and the street changed names to Beim Totentanz after a Dance of Death painting cycle by Niklaus Manuels on the abbey wall. The 107.5 m (352.7 ft) long wall was painted with the fresco
in 1520 which remained until the demolition of the wall in 1660. Even though the painting was destroyed in the 17th Century, the street remained Beim Totentanz until the 18th Century. In 1745 it was renamed Zeughausgasse and widened. The Zeughaus or armory, that the street was named after, had originally been a workhouse
for the abbey and occupied what would become Zeughausgasse 18-28, Nägeligasse 4-6 and 7-13. In 1876 the old armory was demolished and in 1880 the street was widened.
. Two other sites, the former Kornhaus (a type of granary) which is now a museum and the city theatre , are at the end of Zeughausgasse but with a Kornhausplatz address.
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....
. It is part of the Innere Neustadt which was built during the second expansion in 1255 to 1260. The eastern end is at Kornhausplatz
Kornhausplatz
The Kornhausplatz is a plaza in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is on the edge of the Zähringerstadt which was built during the founding of the city in 1191, though the plaza wasn't built until later. It is located near the Kornhausbrücke and the Zytglogge...
while the western end is at Waisenhausplatz
Waisenhausplatz
The Waisenhausplatz is a plaza in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is on the edge of the Innere Neustadt which was built during the second expansion from 1255 to 1260, though the plaza wasn't built until later. It is on the north of the peninsula, and...
. It is part of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Cultural World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
that encompasses the Old City.
History
Zeughausgasse was originally called vor den Predigern after the nearby Prediger Abbey. The DominicanDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
abbey was built throughout the 13th and 14th Centuries. In 1527 the abbey was secularized and the street changed names to Beim Totentanz after a Dance of Death painting cycle by Niklaus Manuels on the abbey wall. The 107.5 m (352.7 ft) long wall was painted with the fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
in 1520 which remained until the demolition of the wall in 1660. Even though the painting was destroyed in the 17th Century, the street remained Beim Totentanz until the 18th Century. In 1745 it was renamed Zeughausgasse and widened. The Zeughaus or armory, that the street was named after, had originally been a workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
for the abbey and occupied what would become Zeughausgasse 18-28, Nägeligasse 4-6 and 7-13. In 1876 the old armory was demolished and in 1880 the street was widened.
Sights
The former city council hall for the outer city at Zeughausgasse 17 is a Swiss heritage site of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
. Two other sites, the former Kornhaus (a type of granary) which is now a museum and the city theatre , are at the end of Zeughausgasse but with a Kornhausplatz address.