Eventful past, bright future: the Loests Hof

Constructed between 1884 and 1890

As a closed perimeter block development, 250 meters in length and four storeys in height, the Loests Hof is among the largest residential properties ever built in Germany. The commercial park, originally used as workspace, living quarter and storage facility in the late 19th century, is one of the last fully preserved urban monuments of its kind.

Once home to workshops, sheds and stables, the inner courtyard today offers a perfect retreat from everyday stress while inviting residents to meet and mingle.

Today part of Halle’s most attractive residential neighborhoods the Loests Hof has not always been quite the living dream. In its early days, the Loests Hof would have been referred to as a „Mietskaserne“, which roughly translates to „barracks for rent“ – a common notion back in the day for the sparse, barrack-like living standard and strict uniformity of such functional dwellings. Here, cramped living quarters for society’s less fortunate members were located right next to stables, storage units and manufacturing facilities. Only through thorough structural gentrification and careful renovation could the Loests Hof be transformed from an uninviting functional building to the lively, yet peaceful community of place it is today. Not least due to the excellent public transport connections to the central station and the university campus, the residential complex is especially popular with younger tenants.