The Hulbe House

Look up and take a moment to admire this striking building in the Dutch Renaissance style. This is the Hulbe Haus, built in 1911 for Georg Hulbe, a master bookbinder and leather craftsman, who wanted to create a space dedicated to art and craftsmanship. The building was not only his home, but also served as a shop to sell his company’s products and as a space to exhibit artworks. You might be thinking, bookbinding and leatherwork are nothing too exciting. But in fact, Hulbe was a well-known and remarkably talented artist. He crafted top-quality leather goods at very high prices. He made folders, folding screens, wallpaper, and even coffins! Using the embossing technique, he produced incredibly sculpted leatherwork, including the leather interior of Hamburg’s Town Hall and the city’s official guestbook. Look up to the top of the façade, on the gable, and you’ll see a golden copper weather vane shaped like a cog ship! This was a typical sailing vessel of the Hanseatic League, used for trade and converted into a warship when needed. If you want a better look at Mr Hulbe, try to spot his sculpted face hidden in the façade.