Stadthäuser

Stadthäuser, singular Stadthaus, are a type of urban residential building common in German-speaking cities. They are attached houses that line the street, built on narrow lots and designed to maximize density while providing separate living units. Typical Stadthäuser have multiple stories—often two to four—and a roof that is pitched or hipped. The façades are aligned with the street and usually feature a regular rhythm of windows and doors. In many examples, the ground floor may house a shop or commercial space, with living areas above.

Historically, Stadthäuser emerged as cities expanded and housing needed to accommodate growing populations. They are especially associated with German-speaking regions and periods of rapid urban growth in the 18th and 19th centuries, including the Gründerzeit. Architectural styles vary, ranging from Baroque and classicist influences to later historicist or Jugendstil elements, while the common trait remains the continuity of the street façade and the internal subdivision of space into separate dwellings or flats.

In modern use, the term covers both traditional historic townhouses and contemporary townhouse designs that imitate or continue the typology. Today, Stadthäuser are valued for street presence, efficient land use, and private interior space. Many historic examples are protected as architectural heritage, while newer developments aim to combine the townhouse form with modern amenities and energy standards.