Old Town Hall

ERAS IN BRICK

The History of the Old Town Hall

Founding and Early Use (1230–1300)

The Old Town Hall was built around 1230 as Hanover’s first stone secular building: In the cellar (“cellarium civitatis”), merchants stored wine and textiles, traders unloaded their goods, and travelers were received. Above it was the “theatrum,” where the council met, weddings were celebrated, and sometimes misdeeds were publicly punished in the pillory. Even then, “Dat Hus” was a central meeting point for trade and civic gatherings.

Brick Gothic and Urban Development (14th Century)

In the early 14th century, Hanover underwent changes: In 1349, the Marktkirche (Market Church) was demolished, the rubble was spread over the square, thus raising the ground level by about one meter. The formerly ground-level “cellarium” sank – the space became today’s cellar. Simultaneously, the building received a brick cladding, pointed arch portals, and segmental arch windows, so that the Town Hall and Marktkirche soon ranked among the southernmost examples of North German Brick Gothic.

Rise in the 15th Century: Stepped Gables and Tower Frieze

Between 1409 and 1413, the complex on Schmiedestraße was expanded; from 1453–1455, the market wing was completely redesigned. With the burgeoning economic prosperity of the 15th century, elaborate stepped gables were added, flanked by a continuous tower frieze and ornate dormer windows (“Lukarnen”). In 1490, the arcade was built on Köbelingerstraße, where a pillory was subsequently attached – a symbol of law and order amidst the bustling market.

Renaissance Additions and Urban Life (1566–1577)

In 1566/67, Gothic and Renaissance styles were combined: On Köbelingerstraße, the Pharmacy Wing was built with two stone floors and two elaborately carved half-timbered stories, where Hanover’s first pharmacy opened in 1568. As early as 1576, a stone oriel window was added to the market wing for magnificent homage ceremonies – the interior and exterior paintings astonished visitors. A year later, in 1577, a new tavern with a staircase leading to the market square was built on the ground floor, which became a meeting place for convivial evenings.

18th and Early 19th Century: Layers of Plaster and Decline

From 1720 onwards, the exterior walls were covered with white plaster, corner and plinth quoins were drawn on, giving the Town Hall a more uniform appearance. However, already in the 19th century, its structural substance was little appreciated: In 1828, the roof turret was removed, a bay window was installed, and parts of the facade were filled with scissor grinder stalls, causing the building to lose its dignity. Because the pharmacy moved out around 1840, tiny prison cells were set up in the former Pharmacy Wing – hardly more secure than before.

Citizen Initiative and the “Doge’s Palace” (1844–1856)

The demolition plans for 1844 were only stopped by a citizen initiative: Instead of completely rebuilding, only the Pharmacy Wing was removed, and in its place, the Neo-Romanesque “Doge’s Palace” was erected, inspired by the Palazzo Ducale in Venice. Further administrative departments moved out in 1856, thus saving the building from decay.

Restoration by Conrad Wilhelm Hase (1875–1891)

The turning point came in 1875, when Conrad Wilhelm Hase began his designs. He consistently removed all later additions to restore the medieval appearance. Where historical findings were lacking, he was guided by his inner vision and added a stair tower in the 15th-century style. In 1882, all of Hanover celebrated the reopening: thousands flocked to the market square to admire the reconstructed Town Hall. In 1891, Hase completed the fourth wing towards Karmarschstraße, so that the complex stood for the first time as an enclosed four-winged courtyard building. In 1900, the inner courtyard was provided with a cellar, and in 1907, the municipal savings bank moved into the Karmarschstraße wing.

Destruction and Reconstruction after World War II (1943–1954)

Everything changed in 1943: Due to bombing raids, the market and Schmiedestraße wings were destroyed down to their outer walls. In the “Doge’s Palace” and prison wing, the damage was limited to the interiors; the Karmarschstraße wing remained almost undamaged. Between 1951 and 1954, reconstruction followed Hase’s plans, but delicate roof forms were omitted, and some entrances were relocated. The undamaged stair tower and historical wall sections fell victim to the interior renovations of the 1950s.

Modernization and Heritage Conservation (1970s – Today)

In the 1970s, the ground floor of the Karmarschstraße wing was opened up to arcades with two-story shop installations, a subway entrance was added, and the inner courtyard was renovated. Heritage conservation finally reversed the concrete roofing around 2000 in favor of the original blind arcades and the terracotta frieze of the “Hanoverian School,” allowing the courtyard to be experienced in its full splendor once again.

Today: Four-Winged Complex as a Tourist Magnet

Today, the Old Town Hall stands as a four-winged complex with striking stepped gables, rich relief decoration, and Renaissance motifs on the market square. Visitors enter the Venetian banqueting hall (“Doge’s Palace”) via the historic arcade on Köbelingerstraße. The facades display rows of coats of arms, busts of electoral rulers, and the characteristic “Neidkopf” (Envy Head) – a 16th-century sandstone face. In the inner courtyard, the round-arch arcades and the terracotta frieze of the Hanoverian School are once again fully visible. Today, thanks to its well-preserved structure, its transformation over centuries, and its versatile use, the Old Town Hall is one of Hanover’s most important tourist destinations.