This book is the result of approximately 35 years of freelance research by the author on the Bürgerhäuser (townhouses) of Detmold, mostly in the context of renovations. It describes the civic building activities in the Lippe residence city of Detmold from the reconstruction after the city fire of 1547 to the beginning of the 19th century. The social spectrum ranges from the baroque row houses of the wealthy court officials in Detmold's New Town, through the traditional timber-framed houses of merchants and craftsmen, to the modest homes "behind the wall," where day laborers, widows, and poorer people lived. A comprehensive catalog section documents 25 examined and dendrochronologically dated houses with existing and reconstruction drawings.