town hall

Seat of the government and parliament

This is the seat of the Bürgerschaft (parliament) and Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The town hall is well worth a visit. Inside, you will find impressive columns, a 50-metre-long banquet hall with huge paintings of former mayors and other interesting details. The town hall was completed in 1897 after the old town hall on Trostbrücke was severely damaged in the Great Fire of Hamburg in 1842. Due to the nature of the building site, the current town hall was built on 4,000 oak piles to ensure its stability.

In the courtyard of the town hall is the Hygieia fountain, with a female bronze figure in the centre. This represents health and commemorates the last major cholera epidemic in Germany.