The ‘Golden Ship’
Altmarkt 17
Johann, around 1838
» The ‘Golden Ship’ next to the town hall is the first thing to catch your eye when you stand in Old Market Square. In the past century, merchant Samuel Benjamin Mühle sold his linen from here all the way to the New World. Those were the days! But with trade in decline, the ‘ship’ is now just a restaurant and hotel, and the old trading company is long gone. «
Johann, around 1838
» The ‘Golden Ship’ next to the town hall is the first thing to catch your eye when you stand in Old Market Square. In the past century, merchant Samuel Benjamin Mühle sold his linen from here all the way to the New World. Those were the days! But with trade in decline, the ‘ship’ is now just a restaurant and hotel, and the old trading company is long gone. «
Unlike any other building in Löbau, the ‘Golden Ship’ is a symbol of the success of the town’s textile trade in the 18th century. One of its most prominent figures was Samuel Benjamin Mühle, who owned an extremely successful linen business with his brother. He shipped his goods to overseas destinations and made the small town of Löbau well-known all over the world. The ‘Golden Ship’ was the headquarters of the Löbau Trading Association, which was established in 1708 as an alliance of several merchants.
Mr Mühle was a member too and joining wasn’t so easy. The golden sailing ship and anchors on its front are a prominent reminder of its history as a trading house. The building became an inn and hotel in 1811, before becoming municipal property in 1921. The building has been used for municipal administration after the town hall and the ‘Golden Ship’ were connected by a passageway.
