Cologne, Germany
Cologne City Hall (Historisches Rathaus)

Old but gold — this one City Hall is an amalgamation of architectural styles.

This historical building is located in the district of Innenstadt in Cologne, and is the oldest city hall in all of Germany. It is the home of part of the city government, which includes the offices of the Lord Mayor. The interesting part about this city hall however, is that the building is made up of varying architectural styles. The 14th century town hall is coupled with the 15th century Gothic-styled tower, alongside the 16th century Renaissance-styled loggia and cloister, which certainly makes for an interesting view that cannot be found anywhere else. The most famous segment of this city hall would be the loggia – a corridor attached to the building acting as an informal link between the council and the citizens of Cologne. Despite being a rather haphazard mash of different architectural styles and time periods, the Cologne City Hall remains an iconic symbol of German history.


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Tips Before You Go
Take note that the upper floors of the town hall are off-limit, and thus, you are only allowed to wander around the ground floor. Be sure to admire the ornate carvings inside! This place is also highly popular for weddings, so don’t be surprised if you see huge crowds in the area.
50.938069
6.959401500000013
Rathauspl. 2, 50667 Köln, Germany