Specks Hof (Speck's Yard), Leipzig

Speck's Yard in Leipzig is a historical commercial building known for housing the oldest preserved shopping arcade in the city. Situated near the Saint Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche), Speck's Yard is a prime example of early 20th-century trade fair and trading house architecture in Leipzig. The building stands six stories high, with its design prominently showcasing the support and beam system, particularly noticeable in the continuous pilasters on the first three upper floors. The top two floors are slightly recessed behind a fence or narrow roof strip, creating a distinctive layered look.

Each of the three adjoining streets features a basket arch-like entrance passage, highlighted by rounded risalits at the building's corners, enhancing the structure's grandeur. The façade, clad in trachyte tuff and artificial stone, is richly decorated with architectural details in stone and copper, including figures inspired by Greek mythology that bear no functional connection to the building's purpose.

A notable design variation occurs in the southern part of the front on Nikolaistrasse, built at a later date. This section is simpler in design, distinguished by a three-story tower-like structure with a pyramid roof that extends above the ridge line of the adjacent buildings, replacing the typical two upper floors seen elsewhere in the complex.

Speck's Yard's ground floor is characterized by a series of barrel-vaulted passageways, some of which retain embossed copper ceilings, adding to the building's ornate interior. A main corridor runs from Reichsstraße to Nikolaistraße, with branches leading into Shoemaker's Alley (Schuhmachergäßchen) and connecting to the Hansahaus. The passages are interspersed with three glass-covered atriums, each spanning 40 to 50 square meters and adorned with artistically designed walls, enhancing the shopping experience with a blend of historical charm and architectural artistry.