Gerberstube
A pair of lions frames the doorway of the remarkable baroque building, which is the former drinking spot of the Tanners' Guild. A two-handled tanner's knife stretches between the lions. A restaurant now occupies the building.
5 Best Sights in Eastern Switzerland, Switzerland
We've compiled the best of the best in Eastern Switzerland - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Rathaus
Stein am Rhein's Rathaus (Town Hall) is flanked by tight rows of shingled, half-timber town houses, each rivaling the next for the ornateness of its oriels, the flamboyance of its frescoes. The elaborate decor usually illustrates the name of the house: Sonne (Sun), Ochsen (Ox), Weisser Adler (White Eagle), and so on. Most of the artwork dates from the 16th century. The Rathaus itself was built between 1539 and 1542, with the half-timber upper floors added in 1745; look for its fantastical dragon waterspouts, typical of the region.
Schmiedstube
With its spectacular Renaissance portico and oriel dating from 1653, this building is an embodiment of Schaffhausen's state of suspended animation. Framed over the door are the symbols of the tongs and hammer for the smiths, and that of a snake for doctors, who depended on the smiths for their tools and thus belonged to the guild.
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Zum Goldenen Ochsen
This late-Gothic building had a Renaissance-style portico and oriel window added to it in 1608. Flanking the windows are three floors of exterior frescoes depicting historic and mythological figures, most from the Trojan War. Sadly, an advertising billboard has also been added to the building.
Zur Wasserquelle and Zur Zieglerburg
This rococo duplex dates from 1738; since they are now private residences, you can see them only from the outside. Across the street are the Tellenbrunnen, a fountain-statue of Wilhelm Tell copied from the 1522 original, and the St. Johannkirche (St. John's Church), whose Gothic exterior dates from 1248.
