1654Eye-catcher on Alsfeld’s roofs

Even though they lost their original significance long ago – in times past, when almost no one carried an up-to-the-minute weather report in their smartphone and could access the scientific findings of meteorologists at any time, weather vanes mounted on rooftops, also known as “weathercocks,” indicated the wind direction – weather vanes as building ornaments are still often a real “eye-catcher” today.

This wrought-iron, artistically crafted object from 1654 is arguably the most thoroughly researched weather vane in Alsfeld. After its production 370 years ago, it was located on a residential house in Untergasse. The owner of the house was the Alsfeld bailiff Hans Berg, a landgravial administrative and judicial official from 1650 to 1667. Berg was married to Elisabeth Katharina Sinolt, and both their initials can be found above the year: HB (= Hans Berg), married to E (Elisabeth) C (Katharina) S (Sinolt).

In 1701, the house was demolished for the construction of the “Rentamt” (now a senior citizens’ home) and rebuilt in Kaplaneigasse. With this demolition and reconstruction, the weather vane also moved from Untergasse to Kaplaneigasse (house number 8, which served as Alsfeld’s second parsonage from 1712 to 1859), and eventually found its way here to the museum. (MNic)