Am Markt 3

Am Markt 3, also known as Peter-Ulrich-Haus, is an architectural gem nestled in the heart of Pirna, Sachsen, Germany. This historical building, dating back to the early 16th century, stands as a testament to the rich cultural and architectural heritage of the region. Today, it houses the Tom-Pauls-Theater, a vibrant cultural venue that breathes new life into this ancient structure.

The History of Am Markt 3

The story of Am Markt 3 begins with its builder, Peter Ulrich, a master builder who was born around 1440 in Heilbronn. Ulrich first appeared in Sachsen in 1478, serving as a ducal master builder for Elector Ernst and Duke Albrecht. His work took him to Dresden, where he undertook various construction projects and acquired citizenship in 1493. In 1502, he was called to Pirna to oversee the construction of the Marienkirche, a task that would occupy him until his death in 1513 or 1514.

Peter Ulrich purchased the original, likely dilapidated, house on June 12, 1503, for one hundred Meissen guilders. The house, located in a row of merchant houses, had previously belonged to Paul Nack, a member of an influential cloth-making family in Pirna. Excavations in 2010 revealed two ovens in the eastern, non-cellared part of the house, dating back to Nack's ownership. These ovens were used for processing cloth, indicating the building's commercial past.

Due to some disputes, the start of construction was delayed, and Ulrich had to rent accommodation in Pirna. In 1505, he began the near-complete demolition of the old house, retaining only the southern exterior wall. The new house, completed in 1506, was extended by three meters towards the market and featured a grand entrance. Despite subsequent modifications, the facade remains largely original.

Transformations Through the Centuries

After Ulrich's death, the house saw several changes in ownership and underwent numerous modifications. In 1520, the baker Martin Standfest acquired the property and enlarged the simple rectangular windows into twin windows. He also added substantial partition walls in the entrance hall.

A significant fire in July 1547 caused extensive damage to the house, sparing only the rooms on the first floor. The house was sold to Oswald Schein, a merchant, who restored the northern facade and constructed the current roof structure, preserving Ulrich's window profiles. Schein also vaulted the entrance hall with intricate cellular vaulting and added a Renaissance-style gable to the roof facing the market. This gable was replaced in 1880 with the current roof form featuring simple dormers.

In 1572, Caspar Milich operated the oldest known pharmacy on the Pirna market from the house until 1575. The ground floor served as both a commercial and residential space. By around 1750, the ground floor housed the Royal Electoral Saxon State Excise Office, which managed the collection of the General Consumption Excise (similar to today's VAT). The ground floor also included a smoking kitchen and a horse stable. Over the years, the house was home to merchants, stocking makers, and shoemakers.

In the late 19th century, large openings were made in the facade for shop windows, and during the GDR era, the house hosted a grocery and vegetable store. After the reunification of Germany, the building stood vacant for a long time. Plans to convert it into residential space failed due to its north-facing location, narrow courtyard, and internal structure. By 2002, there were already considerations to use the building for cultural purposes.

The Birth of Tom-Pauls-Theater

In 2008, after nine years of efforts to secure the Peter-Ulrich-Haus, the Pirnaer Wohnungsgesellschaft WGP presented two concepts for its future use. The Pirnaer Kuratorium Altstadt proposed converting the building into a museum of civic urban art and a community center. However, the city chose the second proposal by Tom Pauls. His Ilse-Bähnert-Stiftung purchased the house in August 2009, and renovations began on December 1, 2009. The total cost of 3.3 million euros was partially funded by 2.4 million euros in urban development grants.

The renovation involved removing numerous walls added over the centuries. In 2013, the craftsmen involved in the restoration, including the Meissen master painter Bill Quaas and Tom Pauls, received the Federal Prize for Craftsmanship in Monument Preservation. The restoration was praised for its attention to detail, with pigments, binders, and various stains made according to historical models and applied with animal hair brushes under the supervision of the state conservator.

On November 11, 2011, actor and cabaret artist Tom Pauls inaugurated the theater named after him in the Peter-Ulrich-Haus. The Great Hall now seats 180 people, and the library showcases household items from the building's construction period. The venue can accommodate 40 guests for events.

Architectural Highlights

The exterior of Am Markt 3 is characterized by its coupled rodwork window frames on both upper floors and a masterfully crafted ogee-arched portal, one of the earliest surviving niche portals in Saxony. When the street level was raised in 1810, the portal was also elevated.

Inside, visitors entering the ground-floor café from the market will immediately notice the wooden beam ceiling in the front part of the café, dating back to the house's construction period. The simple, unprofiled ceilings were dark brown glazed by Ulrich and later received a uniform white lime-casein paint finish with black framing and black-and-white coffering between the beams. This design has been preserved to this day, with additional layers of paint underneath.

The former grand hall is now used as a theater hall. This room may have existed during the house's construction. It is confirmed that after the 1547 fire, Oswald Schein built an unusually large hall on the upper floor. In 1999 and 2009, building researchers discovered remnants of two paint layers, the oldest of which features an archaic depiction of a horse in a window reveal. A newer paint layer includes green-chromatic floral motifs and two initials, one of which is still legible as IGS, likely referring to the Schein family. The hall's size was short-lived, as Schein's son probably added two timber-framed cross walls, which were later joined by more walls and ceiling cladding when the house was converted into a rental property in the late 18th century.

Today, the Peter-Ulrich-Haus also displays artifacts from its history, discovered by the Saxony State Office for Archaeology during construction work. These include jugs, pot fragments, and the remains of a felt hat, as well as tiles from ovens predating Ulrich's reconstruction. These tiles are notable for their gold and silver-colored mica coating, a surface treatment unknown in Saxony in the 15th century, indicating active trade with Bohemia, where such tiles were produced. The old ovens also contained relief-decorated leaf tiles with architectural, floral, and biblical motifs.

The room structures of the former living room, reconstructed black kitchen, and adjacent bedroom are now recognizable. Ulrich renewed the cross-vaulted cellar and central pillar behind the market-side cellar, a structure still visible today. The cellar stairs, built around 1520, still lead to the basement, where the floor of the adjacent barrel storage cellar is paved with river pebbles, following a historical model.

Am Markt 3, or Peter-Ulrich-Haus, is not just a historical monument but a vibrant cultural hub that offers a glimpse into the past while serving the present. Its walls tell stories of centuries gone by, making it an unmissable attraction for anyone visiting Pirna.