Hotels near Hamburg Rathaus

Hamburg Rathaus is the seat of both the city parliament and the state government of Hamburg (Hamburg is a city-state within Germany). Built between 1886 and 1897 in Neo-Renaissance style after the previous city hall burned in the Great Fire of 1842, it holds 647 rooms - more than Buckingham Palace - and stands on 4,000 wooden piles driven into the marshy ground. The 112-metre central spire is topped by a bronze figure of Hammonia, the personification of Hamburg. The sandstone facade is covered in 20 statues of Holy Roman Emperors.

The public forecourt (Rathausmarkt) is a working city square with cafes, the Alsterarkaden arcade running north to the Binnenalster, and the annual Christmas Market from late November. The interior state rooms are only accessible on guided tours - 45 minutes, 5 EUR per adult, booked at the information desk in the entrance hall on the day (Monday to Friday, hourly from 10:00 to 15:00). The Grand Ballroom (Grosser Festsaal) with its 46-metre-long ceiling paintings is the visual peak of the tour.

Pro Tip: Arrive at 09:45 on a weekday and book the 10:00 English tour before the desk queue builds. The interior courtyard fountain (Hygieia) is a public shortcut through to the Alsterarkaden and worth a look even without the tour.