Krell Forge anno 1678

The ornate half-timbered house on Breite Strasse, is called the “Krellsche Schmiede”, or Krell Forge. It is named after Michael Krell the blacksmith, who moved here from southern Germany and built it in the year 1678. The owner’s name and the year of construction are carved into wood above the entrance. The special timber design of the façade is evidence of the builder’s Swabian origins. He was responsible for bringing this typical southern German decorative element to Wernigerode, the distinctive diamond pattern across the walls of the upper floor. At the Krell Forge, the spaces between the timbers on the upper floors are filled with this motif. The ledges that delineate the floors are decorated with rope-like carvings...