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Berlin Town Hall
Berlin Town Hall, now the official
seat of the mayor of Berlin, was constructed in the style of
the north Italian High Renaissance from 1861-69, according to
plans by H.F. Waesemann.
The architecture of the tower, however, is reminiscent of the
bell tower of the cathedral in the French city of Lion. Because
of its color, the imposing building is known colloquially as
the "Rotes Rathaus" or "Red Town Hall".
In 1879, the exterior was decorated with the "Stony Chronicle",
a terracotta frieze on the first floor (36 plates, each 6m in
length) showing scenes from the history of Berlin. The building
was seriously damaged in the Second World War; following its
reconstruction from 1951-58, it became the seat of the East
Berlin magistrate, while the city council of the West resided
in the town hall in the district of Schoneberg. After reunification,
the reigning mayor and the senators moved back to Berlin Town
Hall. In front of the building there is a sculpture by Fritz
Kremer (1958), which symbolizes Berliners rebuilding their city.
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