Glockenspiel House

Historic Building and Tourist Office in Bremen

The Glockenspiel House, also known as the Haus des Glockenspiels in German, is a historic building located in Bremen, Germany. Situated at No. 4 Böttcherstraße in Bremen’s old town district, it is a prominent landmark and a popular tourist attraction in the city.

The Glockenspiel House gets its name from the glockenspiel, a musical instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells. The highlight of the building is the glockenspiel that adorns its facade. The glockenspiel features a set of mechanized figurines that perform a musical show on the hour, delighting visitors and onlookers.

Glockenspiel house was originally constructed in 1922, the building was a conversion of two old warehouses into a new office building for the Bremen America Bank. It was designed by architects Eduard Scotland and Alfred Runge under the direction of coffee merchant Ludwig Roselius, who is known for his success in the decaffeinated coffee industry.

The building’s gabled red-brick facades, built in Neo-Renaissance style, showcase its architectural charm. In 1934, the carillon was added to the building, continuing a medieval tradition. The carillon consists of 30 Meissner porcelain bells that are housed between the gables. Initially, the bells were painted blue on the outside and gold on the inside.

As the carillon plays its melodies, ten rotating coloured wooden panels come into view inside the tower. These panels feature reliefs of famous seafarers and aviators, including Christopher Columbus, Hermann Köhl, Charles Lindbergh, Count Zeppelin, and Ehrenfried Günther Freiherr von Hünefeld. The panels were designed by Bernhard Hoetger and crafted by Zdzislaus Victor Kopytko.

During World War II, the building suffered significant fire damage. The carillon and its white porcelain bells were replaced after the war, while the panels remained undamaged. In 1991, the panels were restored, along with the carillon, which received a new set of white bells.

From January until March at 12 pm, 3 pm and 6 pm, and from April to December every hour from 12 pm to 6 pm, you can listen to the chimes of 30 Meissen porcelain bells.

The tourist office is located at Glockenspiel House.

The Glockenspiel House appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Bremen!

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