About this place
Rising over the northeastern edge of Bremen's Marktplatz, the Town Hall is the beating heart of this Hanseatic city-state and a rare survivor among Europe's medieval council houses. The core building went up between 1405 and 1409 in a sober Gothic style, just as Bremen was rising to power within the Hanseatic League. Two centuries later the merchant elite gave its market front a spectacular makeover in the ornate Weser Renaissance style, layering the plain brick with sculpted figures, decorative gables and grand arcades. Remarkably, the building has never been burned, bombed or demolished, and its Upper Hall still holds original 16th-century wall paintings. In 2004 UNESCO recognized the Town Hall and its neighbouring Roland statue as a World Heritage ensemble, an enduring symbol of civic freedom and self-governance.
Key facts
- 1409 year — The Gothic town hall was completed and it has never once been destroyed since
- 2004 year — The Town Hall and the Roland statue were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site
- 8 statues — Gothic figures of the Emperor and seven Prince-Electors line the market facade
📍 Am Markt, 28195, Bremen