Description of the attraction
The famous Oath House (Schwerhaus) was built in the 17th century in Ulm. The entire history of the city is visible here in chronological order, which is interesting both for the townspeople themselves, who touchingly keep every fragment of past events, and for the guests of the city, who are becoming more and more every year.
In different years of the period from the 14th to the 19th century, the Weinhof square (Wine yard) was a place for trading operations. For example, the famous wine market was located here, due to which, in fact, the name of the square itself was given. Before the wine market, the square was the location of the royal palace, built in 854, but after its destruction, only one chapel remained. In 1612, the project of the House of the Oath was presented to the court of the city authorities, which in the next year was embodied in reality.
Since then, the current Ulm burgomaster every year on one of the Mondays - Schwoermontag ("Oath Monday") - from the balcony of this house takes an oath. Its essence boils down to the fact that he promises to be fair, make his decisions regardless of the well-being of citizens, not give preference to the rich or the poor, and always act within the framework of city laws. The very first oath was pronounced a long time ago, in 1397, but a good tradition continues to this day.
The modern history of the House of the Oath has known several difficult periods: the building was practically destroyed by a fire that occurred in 1785. The restoration of the building was carried out according to old photographs. The second time the house was badly damaged during the 1944 bombing. Today Schwerhaus is a real decoration of the city, a highlight of its architectural style. A visit to Weinhof Square is included in the itineraries of the guidebooks.
