The Hoppener House

Celle’s most famous half-timbered house

The Hoppener Haus, built in 1532, is located on the corner of the Poststrasse and Rundestrasse. Of all the half-timbered houses in the old town, this is undoubtedly the most magnificent. Six storeys project one above the other in the gable.

Above the two lower storeys, rise joists, pillars and wooden beams at a dedendum angle.  Here, rich figure ornamentation can be seen, depicting not only persons of rank but also Gods of the planets, strange diabolical and foolish figures, mythical creatures, grotesque faces and reptiles, all between carved busts which, most likely, characterise the various classes of past society.

In the gable, however, only the joists display distinct carvings but on the eaves side of the house, the joists show embellishment. The picture of Ernst the Confessor was added only after 1901.
 
Directly in front of the house is an historical fountain (Pipenposten) displaying a heraldic lion, one of three public water fountains of the 16th-century water supply system.