Witthoff House

This stately corner house on Buttermarkt was built in 1741, as Kempen began to emerge from decades of war. Its builder was evidently a citizen of considerable means and optimism for the town’s future. The initials HD and MH above the Buttermarkt entrance are believed to refer to him and his wife.

The house’s distinctive character is marked by certain irregularities. Notably, the gable covers only part of the Buttermarkt façade, creating an asymmetrical arrangement – such as the uneven number of windows flanking the central door. During restoration in 1977, a second door onto Buttermarkt was reopened where an earlier entrance had been bricked up.

By the late 19th century, this was the farmyard of farmer Johann Witthoff, and the building became known as Haus Witthoff for many years. Where the shop window now faces Kuhstraße, there was originally a passageway leading to the rear courtyard. In that courtyard, a half-timbered extension once housed a large baking oven—a tradition that continues today in the local bakery.