Old Town Hall (Gdansk)

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Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall (Polish: Ratusz Starego Miasta ) is a mannerist brick building in Gdańsk's old town from the 16th century. It is located at ul. Korzenna 35 (Pfefferstadt) not far from the Radaunekanal .

history

Postcard of the former district court Pfefferstadt , around 1900

It is not known since when a town hall existed at this point. Around 1373 the old town received the town charter from the Teutonic Order, from 1377 the first mayor is known. In 1382 there were reports about the construction of a new town hall. In 1454 the old town lost the rights of its own city after the area was subordinated to the Polish king.

The structure now preserved was built from 1587 to 1594, the builder was probably Anton van Obberghen. From 1807/13 the building had been the seat of the local court, since 1915 departments of the city administration of Gdansk were housed here.

In 1945 the town hall remained largely undamaged, as the only building in Pfefferstadt.

Today the Gdańsk Baltic Sea Cultural Center, the bookstore of a science publisher, a gallery and a café are located here.

architecture

Old town hall with Hevelius monument

The old town hall is an almost cuboid, two-storey brick building in the style of Flemish Mannerism . It has an attic and slim corner towers. The central high tower is similar to that of the Danish Kronborg Castle .

The coats of arms of Poland , Prussia and Danzig can be found on the frieze between the two floors .

For parts of the interior, elements from destroyed town houses in Pfefferstadt were collected.

There is a monument to Johannes Hevelius in the park at the town hall .

Administrative structures and personalities

The old town council met in the old town hall until 1793. From 1377 to 1454 it had its own mayors, who were elected annually from among the councilors. There was a first and three other mayors, as was common in many cities in the Middle Ages and early modern times. Since 1454 there was only one quartet of mayors for the right town and the old town together, which sat in the town hall of Recgtstädt. The old town council could only elect a chairman, but he no longer had the rights of mayor.

The most famous councilor in the old town hall was the brewer and astronomer Johannes Hevelius , who was chairman from 1660, 1669 and 1679 to 1686.

Web links

Commons : Old Town Hall (Gdansk)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Ratusz Starego Miasta Gedanopedia (Polish)
  2. Gdansk Old Town Hall Pomorskie Travel

Coordinates: 54 ° 21 ′ 13.6 ″  N , 18 ° 38 ′ 54 ″  E