The Braunau Gate and the Schärding Gate are the last remaining gates from the former fortress. The walls were pulled down in 1704. Ponds developed from the moat beyond the gates, but they were filled in for reasons of space.

In front of the Braunau Gate is the western Vormarkt. Here there were 4 butchers stalls and 6 potters’ shops that sold ceramic bowls and jugs.

In the area that is known today as Rainerstrasse and Weberzeile, there used to be numerous linen weavers. The cloth trade flourished. Around 450 years ago, 900 people worked in linen weaving. 100 years later, still 600 people were making a living from the trade.

Number 11, Rainerstrasse was the old linen weavers’ guild house. The master weavers met every fortnight in the guild house on “ordinary guild days”. The members of the guild belonged to the St. Ulrich fraternity. Quality control was undertaken in the guild house inspection chamber. Only perfect products were awarded a seal and released for sale. Ried linen was traded as far afield as South Tyrol, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg and Würzburg.

The shopping centre was named Weberzeile, or weavers’ row, in 2015 to commemorate this important craft. Remember it when you shop there!