A short walk from the cathedral, the three-house ensemble at Römer 2, 4 and 6 is the oldest dated half-timbered house in Germany. Built in 1289 in the Gothic tradition, with later additions, it sits on the corner of Domplatz and is now a private residence.
The frame is studded with carved figures, animal heads and apotropaic symbols meant to ward off evil. Up close you can see how the upper floors are jettied out over the street, a sensible medieval trick that both expanded living space and protected the lower walls from rain — and on a sunny morning the dark oak and pale lime infill make for one of the prettiest building portraits in town.