In 2011 readers of the Westphalia daily newspaper named the medieval house of Crüwell as the most beautiful building in Bielefeld. This five-storey late gothic construction with openwork roof and equilateral arches was constructed in 1530 in the historical centre of the town near the Alter Markt. It was a place of residence of mainly well-off townsfolk and merchants. However the first owner of the house is still unknown.
In 1813 this building was purchased by the family of merchant Crüwell who turned it into a tobacco shop. Historical shop selling superb tobacco still exists in the house and belongs to Crüwell’s descendants. It is worth seeing the place at least for the fact that the floor here is laid with original faience tiles of the 16th-19th centuries. This collection of seven thousand smooth glazed tiles is considered one of the largest in North Germany.