Altes Rathaus

The Old Town Hall is an architectural highlight of Hanover's Old Town - together with the Market Church right next door, it is considered the southernmost showpiece of North German brick Gothic architecture. The Old Town Hall was under construction for almost a hundred years. The oldest part on Schmiedestraße dates back to 1420, and a little later the market wing was built on the foundations of a 13th century merchant's hall. This was followed by the so-called pharmacy wing on Köbelinger Straße, which housed the council pharmacy. This wing was replaced by a building in the Italian Romanesque style and this gem of the old town was almost lost forever, as the entire town hall was to be demolished in 1844. However, thanks to the energetic protests of a citizens' initiative led by the renowned architect Conrad Wilhelm Hase, this catastrophe was prevented. The neo-Gothic architect Hase was finally allowed to renovate the two remaining wings and restored them to their original state from around 1500. Particular treasures are the magnificent Gothic pinnacle gables and the clay frieze above the outer right-hand arched window on Schmiedestraße. In addition to portraits of princes and coats of arms, it also shows a depiction of "Luderziehen" - a medieval folk game, comparable to the finger hooking common in southern Germany.