Old town hall

The Old Town Hall is an architectural highlight of Hanover's history. Old Town - Together with the neighbouring Marktkirche, it is considered to be the southernmost showpiece of North German brick Gothic architecture.

The Old Town Hall was built for almost a hundred years. The oldest part on Schmiedestraße dates back to 1420, and a little later the market wing was built on the foundations of a 13th century merchant's hall. This was followed by the so-called pharmacy wing on Köbelinger Straße, which housed the council pharmacy. This wing was replaced by a building in the Italian Romanesque style.

This jewel of the old town was almost lost forever, as the entire town hall was due to be demolished in 1844. However, thanks to the energetic protests of a citizens' initiative led by the renowned architect Conrad Wilhelm Hase, this catastrophe was averted. The neo-Gothic architect Hase was finally allowed to renovate the two remaining wings and restored the building to its stylistically pure state from around 1500.

Particular treasures are the magnificent Gothic pinnacle gables and the clay frieze above the outer right-hand arched window on Schmiedestraße. In addition to portraits of princes and coats of arms, it also shows a depiction of "Luderziehen" - a medieval folk game comparable to the finger hooking customary in southern Germany.

Visit Hannover - Old Town Hall