Schnoor is characterized by its short, sometimes winding lanes. “Schnoor” and “Lange Wieren“ are with a length of 126 metres each the longest streets in Bremen’s oldest district. The first street names still existing were given and recorded back in 1439.

Meaning of street name “Schnoor”

“Schnoor“ owes its name to the Low German word “Snoor“, which means string. The street is said to have received its name because it stretches along its length like a piece of string (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 36).

In addition, the people who used to make ropes for ships are supposed to have lived in this district. For this reason the street may have been named after the trade of the residents.

Meaning of street name “Lange Wieren”

The name “Wieren“ comes from Low German and means wire. The name “Lange Wieren“ is said to be attributed to the unusual length and narrowness of the street (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 36).

Meaning of street name “Marterburg”

The name “Marterburg“ originates from the word “Mattenburg“. The millers used to store their flour in so-called “Matten“ (silos) on the Mattenburg (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 36).

Meaning of street name “Hinter der Holzpforte”

A city wall with a gate used to run along this street in front of the southern end of Stavendamm. City maps from the 18th century showed that a kind of tower stood there instead of the city wall and gate (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 36).

Meaning of street name “Stavendamm”

“Staven“ is the Low German word for sitting room. In the Middle Ages it primarily designated public bathhouses. For some these bathhouses represented real pleasure, for others they were morally indecent because they were accessible to both men and women (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 37).

Even today people tell the story that the mayor of Bremen once used an underground passage from the Town Hall to the “Staven“ so as to reach the bathhouse unseen.

Meaning of street name “Hinter der Balge”

In the Middle Ages the Balge was a tributary of the Weser. Small vessels that became an economically driving force in the rapidly growing Hanseatic city used to pass through. In the course of the years, however, the Balge increasingly silted up and was finally completely filled in back in 1837 (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 37).

Meaning of street name “Wüstestätte”

It is assumed that the name of this street came into being in 1659 when a fire in this area burned down the St. Jacobi orphanage and seven other buildings. The site remained “wüst”, i.e. undeveloped, for some time (see Dillschneider, 1992, p. 37).

Characteristics of the houses

Many of the edifices in Schnoor were first constructed during the period of classicism and historicism. Some were built back in the baroque era while a few buildings date from the Renaissance. After World War II numerous historical relics had been destroyed. However, ten years later, in 1955, many of the buildings had been rebuilt, restored and modified. Numerous newly built edifices were given a historical façade.

Schnoor as it looks today serves the underlying purpose of conveying both the architectural variety and styles as well as the historical development and dynamics of the district. Now a large number of the houses in Schnoor are classified as historical monuments.