Rotes Rathaus Berlin:
The History Behind Berlin's Most Famous City Hall
What is the Red Town Hall?
The Red Town Hall is Berlin's City Hall and has been the seat of the Governing Mayor and the Berlin Senate since 1991.
Built between 1861 and 1871, it is now one of the city's most iconic landmarks.
Why Is It Called the Red Town Hall?
The name comes from the building's distinctive red brick façade, which has defined its appearance since it was completed.
Even in the 19th century, the Red Town Hall stood out from many of Berlin's other grand public buildings because of its striking red exterior.
So despite what some people assume, its name has nothing to do with politics—it simply refers to its distinctive façade.
Red Town Hall – Facts at a Glance
- Built: 1861–1871
- Architect: Hermann Friedrich Waesemann
- Tower height: 94 metres (308 ft)
- Seat of the Governing Mayor of Berlin and the Berlin Senate
- Location: Berlin's historic city centre, between the TV Tower, the Nikolaiviertel, Museum Island, and Alexanderplatz
- Berlin's first city hall stood on this very site as early as the 13th century
Alright, friends,
Whenever I got off the train station Alexanderplatz, I almost always ended up walking past the World Clock, the TV Tower, or towards the River Spree. The Red Town Hall was simply there. So familiar that, to be honest, I barely gave it a second thought.
And yet, I'd walked past it countless times.
It wasn't until I started researching for NO TOURiST INFO that I realized how surprisingly little I actually knew about this building. Sure, I knew the mayor worked here. But that was about it.
That's exactly why I'm writing this blog—not just for you, but for myself as well.
Because the deeper I dug into its history, the clearer it became:
The Red Town Hall actually tells the story of Berlin itself. The Middle Ages, the German Empire, the Nazi era, World War II, East Germany, and reunification—every one of these periods has left its mark on this very place.
What Stood Here Before the Red Town Hall?
In short: Long before today's Red Town Hall was built, Berlin's first city hall already stood on this very site. Its history dates back to the 13th century and begins almost at the same time as the founding of Berlin itself.
Many people assume that the Red Town Hall has always stood here.
In reality, this location was home to the Old Town Hall for around 600 years—the administrative centre of the young city of Berlin.
Around 1270, the first stone city hall was built here. The ground floor was used for trade, while the city council met upstairs. Merchants, craftsmen, and the people making Berlin's most important decisions all came together under one roof.
The building wasn't just the city's administrative headquarters—it was also the heart of public life.
Over the centuries, it was expanded time and again. After several city fires, it was rebuilt and altered, with a clock tower and the famous Gerichtslaube (Court Arbour) added later. As Berlin slowly grew, so did its city hall.
Today, almost nothing on the surface reminds visitors of it.
It wasn't until construction of the U5 subway line that the remains of the medieval city hall were unexpectedly rediscovered.
Archaeologists uncovered foundations, cellars, and countless everyday objects dating back to the very beginnings of Berlin.
Suddenly, it became clear that beneath the streets surrounding today's Red Town Hall, part of medieval Berlin is still hidden underground.
That's exactly what makes this place so special.
When you stand in front of the Red Town Hall today, you're not just looking at a 19th-century building. You're standing in a place where more than 750 years of Berlin's history have unfolded.
Why Was the Red Town Hall Built?
In short: The Old Town Hall had simply become too small for Berlin's rapidly growing population.
By the mid-19th century, the city wanted a new city hall that reflected its rise as a major European capital.
When the Old Town Hall was built in the Middle Ages, Berlin was home to only a few thousand people. Over the centuries, however, the city expanded rapidly. The biggest transformation came in the 19th century, when industrialisation caused the population to grow dramatically.
Within just a few decades, Berlin evolved from a relatively small royal residence into one of Europe's largest cities.
As the city grew, the Old Town Hall reached its limits.
The administration became more complex, new responsibilities emerged, and the building no longer met the city's practical or representative needs. As a result, Berlin launched an architectural competition in 1857. The goal wasn't simply to build a larger city hall—it was to create a landmark that reflected Berlin's growing importance.
Several well-known architects submitted designs. In the end, however, Hermann Friedrich Waesemann was awarded the commission, even though he had not originally been among the competition's winners.
His plans ultimately impressed the decision-makers, and construction began in 1861.
The Old Town Hall didn't disappear overnight. Parts of the new building were completed first, and only then was the medieval town hall dismantled piece by piece.
Some historic elements were preserved, including the famous Gerichtslaube (Court Arbour), which can still be seen today in Babelsberg Park.
A City Hall as a Symbol of a New Capital
The new city hall wasn't just meant to provide more space for the growing administration. It was also designed to reflect Berlin's rising status.
Even the choice of red brick made the building stand out from many of the city's other grand public buildings.
But the tower was even more striking.
At around 94 metres (308 ft), it rose higher than the dome of the former Berlin Palace. That was no coincidence. To this day, historians see it as a deliberate symbol of the growing confidence of Berlin's citizens.
While the Berlin Palace had represented the power of the monarchy for centuries, the new city hall became a visible statement of the city's own importance.
The building was finally completed in 1871—the very same year the German Empire was founded. As a result, the Red Town Hall became part of the era in which Berlin firmly established itself as a political and economic powerhouse.
Even today, it's worth taking a closer look at the façade. Most visitors notice the red bricks or the towering clock tower, but many overlook the so-called Stone Chronicle—a terracotta frieze stretching for several hundred metres that tells the story of Berlin, from its medieval origins to the founding of the German Empire.
Take a little time, and you'll discover a journey through Berlin's history carved into the building itself—a remarkable detail that thousands of people walk past every day without ever noticing.
The Red Town Hall During the Nazi Era and World War II
When the Nazis came to power, the role of the Red Town Hall changed dramatically. The democratically elected city council no longer met here. Instead, local decision-making was gradually dismantled, and the city's administration was brought under the control of the Nazi regime.
The building itself was also transformed.
During the 1930s, the regime remodelled the Red Town Hall, openly stating that it should reflect the "spirit of the Third Reich." Interior spaces were redesigned, artworks were removed or replaced, and the building was increasingly adapted to fit the ideology of the new rulers.
Just a few years later, World War II began—and with it, the darkest chapter in the building's history.
From 1943 onwards, the Red Town Hall was hit by several air raids. The grand banquet hall was destroyed, while further bomb damage affected the roof, the tower, and entire wings of the building. In the spring of 1945, artillery fire during the Battle of Berlin caused even more destruction. By the time the fighting ended, around half of the city hall had been destroyed.
Despite the extensive damage, the building survived.
That was far from guaranteed. Many historic buildings in central Berlin disappeared completely after the war.
The Red Town Hall was one of the few major landmarks whose remaining structure was solid enough to make reconstruction possible.
The Red Town Hall in East Germany (GDR)
In short: After World War II, the Red Town Hall was rebuilt and became the political centre of East Berlin.
Meanwhile, West Berlin was governed from Schöneberg Town Hall.
Reconstruction began in the early 1950s. Externally, the building was restored largely to its original historic appearance.
Inside, however, many rooms were completely redesigned to meet the needs of the new administration.
The city hall officially reopened in 1955.
But with Berlin divided, its role changed fundamentally. The Red Town Hall became the seat of East Berlin's Magistrat (city government), and later the East Berlin City Council and the Lord Mayor of East Berlin. On the other side of the Wall, the West Berlin Senate operated from Schöneberg Town Hall.
For the first time, one city had two city halls.
Today, that's hard to imagine. Walking through Berlin's historic centre, with the Nikolaiviertel, Museum Island, the TV Tower, and the Red Town Hall all close together, it feels like one connected district.
During Germany's division, however, Berlin wasn't just separated by a political border—the city's administration was split between two different buildings.
The area surrounding the Red Town Hall also changed dramatically during this period.
Large parts of Berlin's historic Old Town were demolished after the war. Wide open spaces replaced the dense medieval streets, followed by the park surrounding the TV Tower, the Marx-Engels Forum, and eventually the reconstructed Nikolaiviertel.
As a result, much of today's cityscape around the Red Town Hall is the product of East German urban planning and looks very different from the densely built medieval Berlin that once stood here.
Since 1991, the Red Town Hall Has Once Again Served All of Berlin
In short: Following German reunification, Berlin's city government returned to the Red Town Hall.
Since 1991, it has once again been the workplace of the Governing Mayor and the Berlin Senate, serving the entire city.
When the Berlin Wall fell, the city had to reunite not only politically, but also administratively. For decades, East and West Berlin had operated with separate city halls, government offices, and administrative systems.
On 1 October 1991, Berlin's government officially moved back into the Red Town Hall.
In doing so, a promise made during the building's reopening in 1955 finally came true:
One day, all of Berlin would once again be governed from here.
Today, the building is far more than just a historic landmark.
It is where decisions are made that affect the daily lives of millions of Berliners—from housing and public transport to culture, education, and urban development.
What Most People Overlook at the Red Town Hall
Most visitors take a photo of the tower or simply walk past on their way from the TV Tower to Museum Island.
But it's worth taking a closer look.
Running almost all the way around the building is the so-called Stone Chronicle. This terracotta frieze, stretching several hundred metres, features 36 reliefs depicting key moments in the history of Berlin and Brandenburg—from the city's medieval beginnings to the founding of the German Empire in 1871.
It's essentially an open-air history exhibition carved in stone.
The tower also tells a story. At 94 metres (308 ft), it was deliberately built taller than the dome of the former Berlin Palace. Many historians see this as a symbol of the growing influence and confidence of Berlin's middle class during the 19th century.
Details like these are easy to miss when you're just passing by. That's exactly why it's worth stopping for a moment the next time you're walking through Berlin's historic centre and taking a closer look at the building.
Beneath the Red Town Hall, Medieval Berlin Still Lies Hidden
One of the most fascinating discoveries was made only a few years ago.
During the construction of the U5 subway line, archaeologists uncovered remarkably well-preserved remains of Berlin's medieval town hall directly in front of the Red Town Hall. They excavated foundations, cellar vaults, parts of the original town hall tower, and numerous everyday objects dating back to the city's earliest days.
Suddenly, it became clear that the history of this site didn't begin with the construction of the Red Town Hall.
In fact, a large part of Berlin's original administrative centre still lies hidden beneath the present-day building. There were even plans to display these discoveries permanently in a so-called Archaeological Window, allowing visitors to view the remains. However, the project has yet to be realised.
It is yet another reminder of how many layers Berlin has.
While political decisions are made above ground every day, the remains of a city that began more than 750 years ago still lie just a few metres below.
My Thoughts on the Red Town Hall
Whenever I walk past the Red Town Hall today, I see it very differently.
It used to be just one of many striking buildings around Alexanderplatz. Now I know that this is where Berlin's history comes together in one single place.
Few buildings have witnessed so many different chapters of the city's past. It was built during Berlin's rise to a major European city, survived the Nazi era and World War II, became East Berlin's city hall, and after German reunification once again became the political centre of the entire capital.
But there's another thought I find even more fascinating.
The area surrounding the Red Town Hall has reinvented itself time and time again over the centuries.
The medieval Old Town Hall disappeared. Large parts of Berlin's historic Old Town were destroyed or demolished.
Even the Berlin Palace stood absent from the cityscape for decades. Places like the Nikolaiviertel were completely rebuilt, while modern locations such as Holzmarkt 25, just across the River Spree, show how Berlin continues to evolve.
The Red Town Hall, however, remained. Damaged, altered, rebuilt—but never gone.
Maybe that's exactly why this building is more than just the office of Berlin's Governing Mayor.
It's one of the very few places in Berlin where more than 750 years of the city's history can still be experienced in a single location.
Berlin isn't a tourist attraction. Berlin is a city.
See you in the real Berlin—or here again in the next blog.
Take care. 🖤
Sources: Book "Das Rote Rathaus in Berlin – Eine politische Geschichte" by Thomas Flemming, Gernot Schaulinski, and Bernd Ulrich; edited by Uwe Schaper | Book "Das Berliner Schloss und seine Nachbarn" (Wasmuth Verlag) | Book "Berlin der Kaiserzeit" by Matthias Barth | Book "Berlin – Die Bauwerke" (BeBra Verlag) | Many of the images used in this article are for illustrative purposes and were not taken at the locations featured.
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