Specks Hof is the oldest surviving Passage arcade in Leipzig and is one of the most architecturally outstanding business premises in Leipzig. A well known trade yard, whose owner was called Speck, formerly stood on the site where Emil Franz Hänsel erected the Trade Fair House between 1908 and 1909. It was run by none other than the Baron of Speck who was one of the biggest names in wool trade and sheep farming. The fast rise of the neighbouring trading site lead to the building of the five-storey trade fair palace. Everything went so well that in 1911 and 1928 extensions had to be carried out. When extensions were being carried out in 1911, Specks Hof was connected to the Hansa House Messehof by means of a passage.

Specks Hof was also the first trade fair building forcing its visitors to a perfect compulsory tour. It was then taken as an example for future trade fair buildings. Until 1989 the Trade Fair Palace with a presentation area of 6,000 m2 was a place where leather wares and jewellery were exhibited.

It was reopened after renovations on the 27th of November 1995. The new owners Bilfinger & Berger and Rendata had invested 200 million Deutschmarks. One attraction are the 3 atriums for which playful contemporary art was commissioned. A theme rich in imagination was set by Bruno Biesel from Leipzig, Moritz Götze from Halle and Johannes Grützke from Berlin who used murals, paintings and ceramic medallions. In atrium "A" Giesel created a mural under the theme of "The Psychology of Time". The mural in atrium "B", named "The Morning, the Afternoon, the Evening" is made from around 20,000 ceramic plates. In atrium "C", Grützke painted 16 medallions of funny representations. They were made from used objects, which were then glazed with enamel. Also worth mentioning are the restored Kupfer Passage arcade and the art-deco chandelier. These truly enhance your stroll along the two dozen shops. As it links old with new this Passage arcade is a dazzling example of its type in Germany.

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