Red Town Hall

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  Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) in Berlin

• The tower of the Red Town Hall is reflected in a pane of glass.

Located in the Mitte district near Alexanderplatz, the Red Town Hall is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks and the seat of the Governing Mayor and the Berlin Senate.

The Red Town Hall is the seat of both the Governing Mayor and the Berlin Senate. The eye-catching building near Alexanderplatz is one of the city's architectural gems. It got its name not because of any political orientation but because of its facade, which is made of bright red bricks.

An Architectural Gem

The Red Town Hall was built between 1861 and 1869 according to designs by Hermann Waesemann. Just four years after the foundation was laid, the first meeting of the municipal government was held here. The red color of the bricks used for the building's façade is particularly striking in the light of the evening sun. The tower, which is almost 74 meters high, can be seen from afar. The Red Town Hall was built to a square ground plan and has four wings enclosing three open courtyards. After bomb damage during World War II, the building was reconstructed. When Berlin was divided, the East Berlin city government, or "Magistrat," met in the Red Town Hall and the West Berlin Senate met in the Schöneberg Town Hall. The Red Town Hall has been the joint seat of government again since 1991.

Rooms Worth Seeing inside the Red Town Hall

The Red Town Hall has over 247 rooms, several of which are worth a visit. The Wappensaal ("Hall of Arms") was the original meeting place of the city council. The hall takes its name from the windows, which feature the coat of arms of Berlin and all of its original districts. Today, state guests are received here. The Main Hall was the meeting place of the East Berlin "Magistrat" until 1990. As the largest room in the town hall, it is now used for larger events such as receptions or ceremonies. The Hall of Pillara inside the Red Town Hall is particularly beautiful. The ceiling of the hall, which originally housed the library, is nine meters high. These days, the room is used for exhibitions and events.

Gallery of Berlin's Honorary Citizens

On the third floor of the town hall building are two rooms bearing the names of two post-war politicians, Louise Schroeder and Ferdinand Friedensburg. These rooms are currently used mainly for meetings but can also be rented. The portraits of all of Berlin's honorary citizens are displayed in the hallways on the third floor.

Visiting the Red Town Hall

The town hall building as well as exhibitions inside can be visited from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. However, due to daily operations as well as for security reasons, the building may be temporarily closed to visitors. It isa good idea to call ahead and ask whether the Red Town Hall is open.

Information

• Address:
  Rathausstraße 15
  10178 Berlin
  City map
• Opening Hours: Mon-Fri from 9 AM till 6 PM
• Phone: [phone]
• Admission Fee:
  free