Berlin's Town Halls


Some of Berlin's town halls look like castles, some are still used and some not. Berlin has a variety of them. Due to the union of several districts, some of the town halls are no longer used as government seats. Today we are going to take a closer look at the best known and most impressive ones. By the way, the German name for town hall is Rathaus.



Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall)
Berlin’s main town hall was built 1861-1869 by Hermann Waesemann. A frieze around the building tells Berlin's history. The tower is 74 meters high. During the division of Berlin, the government of East Berlin used the building. The politicians of West Berlin met in the town hall in Schöneberg.
Opposite the Rotes Rathaus lies the Altes Stadthaus (old townhouse). It was opened in 1911, because the Rotes Rathaus could no longer accommodate all the offices!
Rathausstraße 15
10178 Berlin
Bus: 100, 200, M48

The Rotes Rathaus is Berlin's best known town hall.

The Altes Stadthaus lies opposite the Red Town Hall



Rathaus Schöneberg
“Ich bin ein Berliner, translated I am a Berliner",  these famous words uttered John F.  Kennedy on the balcony of the town hall in Schöneberg. After World War II it became the centre of Berlin's Government, because the Rotes Rathaus laid in East Berlin. This made it also a centre and symbol for the fight of liberty. A sight is the liberty bell, which was a gift from America and came to Berlin in 1950. You can hear it every day at noon. I recommend you to visit the exhibition  " We were neighbours" ,  it is about Jewish people who lived in Schöneberg during the Nazi Rule. Why not take a ride on the paternoster? Only a handful are left in Berlin.
Am Rathaus 2 
10825 Berlin
U4 (Rathaus Schöneberg)


Rathaus Schöneberg

Köpenick
The town hall of Köpenick played a major part in Berlin’s history. On 16th October 1906 happened the following incident: Friedrich Wilhelm Voigt, an unemployed cobbler, dressed in a captain’s uniform, travelled to Köpenick with some soldiers, entered the town hall, ordered to arrest the mayor of Köpenick and confiscated the treasury. Voigt was sentenced to prison, but was later pardoned and became very famous.as "Captain of Köpenick"an international star.  The German writer Carl Zuckmayer (1896-1977) wrote a play about him - a movie followed in 1956.
Alt-Köpenick 21
Tram 68

Rathaus Charlottenburg
The town hall in Charlottenburg was opened in 1905. According to legend the German Emperor William II refused to drive along the town hall, because the tower was higher than that of the castle in Charlottenburg.
Otto-Suhr Allee 100
10585 Berlin


Further town halls to see:
  • The town hall in Friedenau at Breslauer Platz was built 1913-1917 by Hans Altmann.
  • The impressive town hall in Neukölln was built around 1909.
  • Impressive too is the town hall of Pankow. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century.
  • The town hall in Mitte is the youngest, it dates from 1998.

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