Old Town Hall in Germany, Munster resort
Rating: 9,4/10 (2041 votes)  The historic town hall, located in Munster, is the building of the city administration and is also one of the most interesting and significant architectural monuments of the historic city center. In 1170, after Munster receives city rights, there is a need for a building to house the city court and magistrate. Initially, a half-timbered building was built, which was located between Principalmarkt and St. Paul's Cathedral. In 1200, the magistrate moved to a new massive building. The building was built on the visual line of the “Episcopal Palace”; Cathedral of St. Paul '', which was seen as a claim of citizens to self-government. The bishop regarded it as a provocation, since the town hall blocked the view of the cathedral from the palace. In the 1570s, the roof of the town hall was rebuilt – on the side of the Principalmarkt a high Gothic pediment was created, and on the east side a two-storey building was added, known in history under various names –"Room","Small Chamber of the Council","Winter Chamber of the Council." In 1648, the Westphalian Congress was held in the town hall building and the famous Westphalian the world that ended the Thirty Years War, after which the City Hall of Munster gained special fame in Europe. In the 1850s it was decided to rebuild the attic of the town hall into another meeting room. In 1858, the project was approved, but the start of construction was constantly delayed. In 1861, the architect Wilhelm Salzenberg proposed a new project, which was approved and put into effect. During the Second World War, the Town Hall was seriously damaged – the collapse of the Gothic pediment, the ruins of which were soon taken to the landfill, and therefore irretrievably lost. In 1948, the authorities decided to renovate the building, for which it was arranged competition for the best reconstruction project of the town hall. Heinrich Bartmann won the competition. The restoration work, however, were started only two years later, due to lack of funds, and they were completed only by 1958. Currently, a museum is functioning in the building of the town hall, in which works of art, banners and samples of weapons XVI – XVII centuries.   
We also recommend reading Town Hall Tower in Germany, Munster Resort Topic: Old Town Hall in Germany, Munster resort. |
