Cloth hall

A cloth hall or linen hall (German: Gewandhaus; Polish: Sukiennice; French: Halle aux draps; Dutch: Lakenhal) is a form of market hall building located in the centre of the main marketplace of a European town. Cloth halls were built from medieval times into the 18th century.

A cloth hall contained trading stalls for the sale of cloth and other goods, such as leather, wax, salt, and exotic imports such as silks and spices. Cloth halls were usually along major trade routes, sometimes providing lodging for merchants and serving as customs posts.