Bohlenstube on the second floor

The rooms that were built using solid stud planks are known as “Bohlenstube”. The walls and ceilings were made entirely of oak, an expensive building material that provided good insulation. The three “Bohlenstuben” of the Hornmoldhaus are therefore likely to have served as central living quarters. As they were also visible from the outside, Hornmold openly demonstrated his status and wealth.

However, only the “large plank room” on the second floor could be heated. The place where the stove once stood can still be seen on the south wall. It was fired from the kitchen behind it. Incidentally, the building did not have a fireplace or chimney in the first centuries: the smoke had to escape through the entire house, the Hornmoldhaus was - quite common in the Renaissance - a so-called “smoke house”.

The solid construction of the large wooden parlor is broken up by mock architecture inside. The walls and windows are enclosed in round arches in the upper section. The ceiling is a self-supporting construction with a low vaulting typical of the Renaissance.

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Further information can be found in Günther Bentele's 2022 publication on the Hornmold House.