House Böttcher

The house was built in 1589 by Johan Mertens sen., a Reidemeister and member of the Obermarsberg merchants' guild, according to the original inscription, which is concealed by the cladding above the archway at the front of the house. The current inscription was added to this cladding in 1781 by the then owner "FOBBE(N)", who used the house as a farmhouse. This makes the Böttcher house the oldest surviving house in the town of Marsberg. Only the brick masonry and the half-timbering above on the ground and first floors are of more recent date - unusual, modified carpentry work. It is probably a repair of damage from the 30 Years' War, when most of the Oberstadt was destroyed. More than twice as old as the house is the vaulted cellar with attached cistern, which, according to the Olpe Monuments Office, dates back to the 12th century and is located at right angles to the house under the rear third of the house.

The above inscription reads:

A. 1589 I AM BUILT.ENTRUSTED TO THE FOBBEN.N.N.

PRESERVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD UNTIL 1781

GOD GRANT HIS GRACE FURTHERMORE AMEN

. GOD . ALONE . . THE . HONOR .

On the left above the pillar is a Christ monogram: I H S, on the right the inscription: MARIA.

The house has been continuously owned by the Böttcher family since 1880, i.e. for more than 135 years.

New stamping point on the Way of St. James

In mid-July, a stamping station was set up at Haus Böttcher. The new Way of St. James, which runs from Paderborn to Lennestadt-Elspe, passes right by the house. The stamp is the coat of arms of the Metternich family. Two of the provosts of the Obermarsberg monastery (Stift) came from this family. Their coat of arms is emblazoned on the confessional in the right-hand aisle of the Stiftskirche, which pilgrims should not miss on their way through Obermarsberg.

Further information on this pilgrimage route is available from the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe and the Friends of St. James Pilgrims Paderborn.

Stamping point