Gasthaus zum Riesen (The Giant)

The first documentary mention goes back to 1158, though it did not yet refer to today's Renaissance half-timbered house. The oldest surviving record appears in a court register of 1411: it names Conrad Trestram as innkeeper, who probably built the Gothic predecessor whose remains are still part of the present building.

In 1589 the town council granted owner Jost Virnhaber, who came from Schwäbisch Hall, 100 oak trunks for rebuilding and extending the house. The defining timber frame, preserved almost unchanged to this day, was raised in 1590 by the carpenter Jakob Stoer. The brewer's star on the inn sign recalls that the "Riese" held brewing rights from the 19th century onward.

Probably out of envy over the inn's commercial success, innkeeper Lorenz Beck was accused of witchcraft in 1627 and sentenced to death at the stake. The same fate befell his predecessor Benedikt Stumpf and his wife in 1629.

Beck's daughter married Leonhard Allemann in 1643, and the "Riese" remained in that family until 1732. Ownership then changed frequently until 1898, when the hotelier Paul Hülbig took over. He ran the inn until 1920, after which his son Oskar took charge. Following Oskar's death in 1948, his wife Lina served as innkeeper until their son Wolfgang completed his hotel training. In 1970 Werner Jöst acquired the "Riesen", renovated it thoroughly and leased it to a Frankfurt brewery corporation. For lack of customers the inn closed in autumn 1999; in April 2001 Jöst leased the restaurant to the Sodenthaler company.

The house prides itself on having lodged numerous princes — among them Emperor Barbarossa (1158), Emperor Friedrich III, King Ludwig the Bavarian (1314, shortly after his election as king), Emperor Karl IV (February 1368) and Empress Maria Theresa. During the Thirty Years' War, Tilly, Gustav II Adolf, Pappenheim, Piccolomini and Wallenstein are said to have stayed here. In the 20th century guests included Richard Strauss, Theodor Heuss, Hans Albers, Heinz Rühmann and Elvis Presley. The widespread legend that Martin Luther convinced Count Erbach of Protestantism at the "Riesen" stems from a book by Hermann Nietschmann (writing as Armin Stein) — yet the "Riese" is not actually mentioned there.

The listed building remains in private ownership and continues to serve as an inn with both restaurant and hotel. Since 2013 the restaurant has been leased to the local Brauhaus Faust brewery, which pours a range of its own beer specialities here — from bottom- and top-fermented beers to shandies and craft beers. The interior offers 140 seats and the outdoor area around 75, with groups of up to 120 accommodated. It is open daily except Wednesdays, the kitchen pausing between 3:00 and 4:30 pm. The adjoining Hotel Zum Riesen is run by Monica Almeida Jöst.