The Franconian medical professor from Auerbach, Heinrich Stromer, erected Auerbachs Hof in the Renaissance style between 1530 and 1538 as a passage courtyard. It would later go on to be known as Mädler Passage arcades. He inherited this in 1519 and in 1525 he opened a very fashionable wine bar. In 1625 the building was converted to a shopping arcade which has been impressively described by Goethe. The notoriety of "Auerbachs Keller" is due to the Keller-scene from Goethe's "Faust". Bronze figures by Leipzig's Sculpter Matthieu Molitor effectively accentuate its entrance.
Today's Mädler Passage arcade is the most magnificent city arcade's in Leipzig and is connects Königshaus Passage to Messehof Passage. With a front that faces Neumarkt and another which faces Grimmaische Strasse, the former trade fair house Mädler Passage looks impressively on its visitors. Its 5,700 m2 exhibition space was the place where those working with porcelain, ceramics or earthenware met. In 1912 Anton Mädler had the well known but by no means modern Auerbachs Hof, which was not at all suited to the trade fair life torn down. While maintaining the original layout, he had a new building constructed with arcade consisting of five floors. The baroque style is easily recognised. A Meissner Glockenspiel which was added in 1969 can also be admired there. The overall length of the passage is 140m. Mädler Passage arcades, which stands at the heart of this passage system, is today the standard which all other state-built architectural development in Leipzig's city centre will be measured against.
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