# Haus des Glockenspiels (DD-698)

> The Haus des Glockenspiels (Glockenspiel House) is at Böttcherstraße 4 in Bremen, northern Germany, not in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Coffee merchant Ludwig Roselius, who first marketed decaffeinated coffee, had two old warehouses there rebuilt in 1922 as offices for a bank, with gabled red-brick facades. In 1934 a carillon of 30 Meissen porcelain bells was hung between the gables. While the bells play sea shanties and folk songs, a tower beside them turns to show 10 carved wooden panels. They depict people who crossed the ocean by sea or air, including Columbus, Lindbergh, and Zeppelin and Eckener. They're carved panels, not life-sized moving figures, and they don't show local history. The bells play at noon, 3 pm and 6 pm from January to March, and hourly from noon to 6 pm from April to December, except in frost.

- Department: Locations (also History)
- First published: 2026-02-12
- Last updated: 2026-02-12
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/haus-des-glockenspiels/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **1922**: Böttcherstraße 4 in Bremen is rebuilt for Ludwig Roselius
- **1934**: 30 Meissen porcelain bells are added to Bremen's Haus des Glockenspiels
- **1990**: The current set of porcelain bells begins playing

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=haus-des-glockenspiels

## Quick facts

- **DD-698-F01**: The glockenspiel has 30 Meissen porcelain bells. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Porcelain bells))_
- **DD-698-F02**: It doesn't play in frost, to protect the porcelain. _(Write-up · Exhibit E (When to hear it))_

## Write-up

Bells made of porcelain. Bremen's glockenspiel rings 30 Meissen porcelain bells.

1. **Bremen, not Rothenburg**: The building is at No. 4 Böttcherstraße in Bremen's old town. It was rebuilt in 1922 for Ludwig Roselius, with Neo-Renaissance gabled brick facades by Eduard Scotland and Alfred Runge.
2. **Porcelain bells**: The 30 bells, made by the Meissen porcelain manufactory, were added in 1934. Porcelain bells are much lighter than bronze ones, so they can hang between the gables, and their tone is soft but carries well.
3. **Ocean crossers**: As the bells play, a tower turns to show 10 carved wooden panels, designed by Bernhard Hoetger, of people who crossed the ocean. They include Columbus, Lindbergh, Köhl, Fitzmaurice and von Hünefeld, and Zeppelin and Eckener.
4. **Three sets of bells**: The original 1934 bells were replaced in 1954, and the current set has played since 1990, now from computer-controlled MIDI files.
5. **When to hear it**: From January to March it plays at 12, 3 and 6 pm, and from April to December hourly from 12 to 6 pm. It doesn't play in frost, because the porcelain bells aren't built for it.

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## Reel vs. record

- **Wrong town**: the Haus des Glockenspiels is on Böttcherstraße in Bremen, not in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
- **Wrong display**: there are no life-sized moving figurines. A turning tower shows 10 carved wooden panels.
- **Wrong theme**: the panels don't show local festivals or trades. They honor ocean crossers by sea and air, such as Columbus, Lindbergh, and Zeppelin and Eckener.
- **Missing detail**: the bells are made of Meissen porcelain, not metal. They were added in 1934, and the current set has played since 1990.
- **Schedule**: it doesn't play all day. It plays at 12, 3 and 6 pm from January to March, hourly from 12 to 6 pm from April to December, and not at all in frost.

## Video: Haus Des Glockenspiels: Bells Made of Porcelain

- Duration: 20.6 s · Published: 2026-02-12
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DUrs_MXEdyp.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? The Haus des Glockenspiels is a historic building located in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany, famous for its elaborate glockenspiel, a mechanical carillon that performs daily shows. The building's clock tower features life-sized figurines that move and reenact scenes from the town's history, such as festivals, local legends, or traditional trades. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Which city is the Haus des Glockenspiels in?**  
A: Bremen, on Böttcherstraße. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Bremen, not Rothenburg) · Wikipedia: Glockenspiel House; Bremen.de: Glockenspiel in der Böttcherstraße)_

**Q: What are its bells made of?**  
A: Meissen porcelain. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Porcelain bells) · Archiv Böttcherstraße: Das Glockenspiel in der Bremer Böttcherstraße (flyer); Wikipedia: Glockenspiel House)_

**Q: How many bells are there?**  
A: 30. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Porcelain bells) · Archiv Böttcherstraße: Das Glockenspiel in der Bremer Böttcherstraße (flyer); Wikipedia: Glockenspiel House)_

**Q: Who do the rotating panels honor?**  
A: Seafarers and aviators who crossed the ocean. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Ocean crossers) · Wikipedia: Glockenspiel House; Bremen.de: Glockenspiel in der Böttcherstraße)_

**Q: Why doesn't it play in frost?**  
A: The porcelain bells aren't made for frost. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (When to hear it) · Bremen.de: Glockenspiel in der Böttcherstraße; Böttcherstraße Bremen (Jan 14, 2025): Glockenspiel wieder stündlich zwischen 12 und 18 Uhr)_

## Sources

- [Bremen.de: Glockenspiel in der Böttcherstraße](https://www.bremen.de/tourismus/glockenspiel)
- [Wikipedia: Glockenspiel House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glockenspiel_House)
- [Archiv Böttcherstraße: Das Glockenspiel in der Bremer Böttcherstraße (flyer)](https://www.archiv-boettcherstrasse.de/sites/default/files/2022-10/BOE_rz_200916_Flyer_Glockenspiel_99x210.pdf)
- [Böttcherstraße Bremen (Jan 14, 2025): Glockenspiel wieder stündlich zwischen 12 und 18 Uhr](https://www.boettcherstrasse.de/node/58)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Haus des Glockenspiels." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-698, last updated Feb 12, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/haus-des-glockenspiels/