Just off Bremen’s Marktplatz, Böttcherstraße is a short pedestrian street packed with expressive brickwork, sculptural details and small cultural attractions. It runs towards the Weser through a succession of courtyards and unusual façades, making it easy to explore in an hour or linger over on a longer walk through the old town.
Coffee merchant Ludwig Roselius financed much of the street’s transformation in the 1920s, working with artists and architects including Bernhard Hoetger. Their designs mix Brick Expressionism with craftsmanship and mythological imagery. The street’s history is complicated, too: Roselius supported aspects of Nazi ideology, even as the regime condemned parts of the architecture. The Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum celebrates the pioneering Expressionist painter and is a compelling stop for art lovers.
Look up at the Haus des Glockenspiels, where 30 Meissen porcelain bells chime as carved panels depicting pioneers of ocean crossings rotate in the tower. Performance times vary by season, so check the current schedule and arrive a few minutes early. The street is free to walk through, though museums charge admission; weekday mornings are usually quieter than summer weekends. From Bremen’s central station, walk to the Marktplatz and find the street’s entrance just off the square.