Since the middle ages, guests have come from near and far to dine at the restaurant "Alter Schwan". The tavern "Zum Alten Schwan" was first mentioned in 1310 as a depot in which merchants parked their wagons and settled down for food and drink. Today, the building belongs to Erfurt's oldest secular buildings and was presumably built in the 15th century as the community centre "Güldener Strauß". During the Renaissance, larger windows as well as the entrance portal were added. Back in 1965, "Alter Schwan" was completely overhauled, and served as a quaint and extremely popular wine restaurant for Erfurt's residents until 1995, when it gained a new addition and was renovated in close coordination with the department for historical preservation in Erfurt. In the same year, the first and only hotel right next to the Merchants' Bridge opened, and the hotel's own restaurant "Zum Alten Schwan" also shone in new splendour. As part of the restoration of the "Haus zum Roten Turm" in 2004, six individual hotel rooms were constructed on two levels, lovingly designed with modest and reserved furniture.