Pilkentafel
Today, the Pilkentafel is a small alley that connects the busy Hafendamm by the water and St.-Jürgen-Straße up on the hill. Back in the days, the Pilkentafel contained not only an inn of the same name, but also an extensive piece of land at the harbour. Until 1870, the inn was located close to the water, just opposite the gate Kompagnietor, and was easily accessible by boat, as in general, the Jürgensby side was easiest to reach by water at that time. Numerous boats provided this traffic service. Many of them had their base on this side of the harbour, offering the popular "pleasure trips". It is known that especially the boatmen's and fishermen's daughters competed with the ferrymen at the ship's bridge with their father's barges.
The inn "Pilkentafel" got its name from a ball game, similar to billiards, which was set up there. Many captains and helmsmen knew the game from their stays in Holland and Hamburg, so it enjoyed great popularity. But of course, eating and drinking was provided as well. An in-house brewery, a brandy kettle and a baking oven guaranteed a pleasant stay for the excursionists. During mild weather conditions, the guests frolicked in the gardens and on the high meadows. Bathing in the shallow waters of the nearby shore also had its devotees.
This idyll disappeared at the end of the 19th century due to the regulation of the harbour, the construction of a narrow-gauge railway, and the resulting land speculation.
Good to know
Openings
