London
Today England’s capital is one of the most important cultural, financial and business centres in the world. During the times of the Hanseatic League, London was home to the Steelyard (in German called “Stalhof”) - a trading post or kontor of the Hanseatic League. Until today there has been no agreement on how the name came about. It is assumed that the first part of the name is based on the verb “stalen” (Dutch for “to mark / to seal”). Archaeological excavations uncovered many lead seals and wax seals which back then were attached to cloth to indicate that customs duties had been paid and/or to show the place of origin. The term kontor first came up in the 16th century when it was used to describe the offices and business premises of merchants, which formerly were called house or yard.
The Tankard (Amelia Street)
Today the building houses a popular restaurant named “The Tankard”, which means draft house.
