The late-medieval half-timbered structure is characteristic of the Old Town Hall, which dates back to 1432. The ground floor, which was once open, served as a sales hall for the butchers. The upper rooms housed the council chamber and the administrative offices.
In the arcades of the New Town Hall, built in 1503, bakers had their stalls, while the upper rooms housed administrative offices and the weavers’ inspection room, where the quality grade of the woven barchent was determined. During construction, the New Town Hall had to be built on 1,800 oak piles because the ground was marshy due to the high water table. Today, both town halls house parts of the city administration and are connected by a glass-enclosed connecting structure.
