Apartment house at Muristrasse 17

About the building

On Muristrasse, not far from where Liebeggweg branches off, stand three buildings that belong together: the villas at numbers 15 and 19 on either side, and the larger apartment house at number 17/17A in the middle. All three were built in 1897/98 to designs by Angelo Nottaris, who was also their client. They stand on one building line, share very similar ornament and form an almost symmetrical group.

The central house is a long, strictly symmetrical rendered building under a steep mansard roof. A string course and a sill cornice separate the floors, and the panels between them carry scrolling ornament. Pilasters frame the corners of the house and of the projecting bays. A four-bay central projection dominates the street front. The outer axes had open verandas in front, the narrow ends closed single-bay annexes. At the back, two half-round stair towers mark the corners.

What marks the house most are the hoods over the large windows and the dormers. The city inventory describes the ornament as elaborate and almost mannerist. Walk to the entrances on the narrow sides and you will see the curved, volute-like window crowns of the upper floor repeated above the doors. A wrought-iron fence with striking gateposts surrounds the plot; the same kind of enclosure is found at the neighbouring villa at number 19.

The house was altered in 1920 and 1921. A side veranda of number 17 was enclosed to gain living space, which somewhat disturbs the symmetry of the street front. The building is rated as worthy of protection.

Researched and summarised by Bärn Kit. Sources: Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Muristrasse 17, 17A · Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Muristrasse 15 · Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Muristrasse 19 · Wikidata: Q127976579