The Hansa Haus was designed in 1911 by the architectural firm of Parker, Thomas and Rice, and finished in 1912. The shipping agency North German Lloyd Steamship Company had given specific instructions, and oversaw the custom design for German tenant Albert Schumacher and Company. The Baltimore Sun described it as a “Picturesque Edifice for [the] Heart of Baltimore”.
Modeled after a medieval courthouse in Halberstadt, Germany, the Hansa Haus is a two-and-one-half story, brick and stucco, half-timbered structure. The building was symbolically named in honor of the Hanseatic League or “German Hansa,” a medieval trade confederation of independent German city-states. The coats of arms of those cities were painted on the building above the first story level, along with a carved panel depicting a ship under full sail which represented the logo of the Hanseatic League. The Hansa Haus is one of the most unique structures in Baltimore and is reflective of the German heritage of many Baltimore citizens. The Hansa House was designated a city landmark in 2011.
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