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Commissioned by the
Cologne guilds on 19 August 1406, the Gothic-style Ratsturm (Council tower) was built between 1407 and 1414 and reaches a height of 61 metres. It consists of five storeys and the so-called Ratskeller (Council cellar). Its purpose was mainly to store documents, but one of the lower
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to be built, with construction lasting from 1569 to 1573. The loggia consists of a 2-storey, five-bay long and two-bay deep arcade, which functions as entrance to the councils main hall (Hansasaal) at ground level, and as balcony for the main hall on the upper floor. The balcony was used for public
206:, they took deliberate opposition to the archbishop, after which they gained benefit in regards to the city's territorial expansion over the following years. As – at the time – one of Europe's busiest trading ports and largest city in Germany, the
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style council building of 1135 on the same location. The
Saalbau dates back to 1330 and is named after the Hansasaal, a 30,0 by 7,6 metres large and up to 9,58 metres tall assembly hall and core of the entire Rathaus. The hall is named after the
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is called – is a replacement of a previous loggia on the same location. The council initiated a lengthy design process in 1557, which lasted until 1562. In July 1567 the council approved the design by
Wilhelm Vernukken from
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with a documented history spanning some 900 years. The history of its council during the 11th century is a prominent example for self-gained municipal autonomy of
Medieval cities.
214:. Documents from the years 1135 and 1152, recorded "a house in which citizen convene", referring to the first established council hall, at the location of today's town hall. The
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Today's building complex consists of several structures, added successively in varying architectural styles: they include the 14th century historic town hall, the 15th century
245:, Europe's first university to have been established by citizenry. On 14 September 1396 the constitution of Cologne came into effect and the Cologne gaffs and guilds (
452:(1618–1648). However it was not in official use before the 19th century. After having been heavily damaged in 1942, the building was completely rebuilt in 1953.
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the entire city hall was destroyed except for the front portion and part of the tower, the remaining part being rebuilt in modern style.
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atrium (the
Piazzetta). The so-called Spanischer Bau is an extension on Rathausplatz but not directly connected with the main building.
132:
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Hermann Jakobs: Verfassungstopographische
Studien zur Kölner Stadtgeschichte des 10. bis 12. Jahrhunderts, Köln, 1971, p. 49-123
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Likened to a small piazza with various building making up the perimeter walls, the 900 square metre large and 12.6 metres tall
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Ulrich Krings and Walter Geis: Köln: Das gotische
Rathaus und seine historische Umgebung, J.P. Bachem Verlag, Köln, 2000
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Built on the North-western side of
Rathausplatz in the years 1608 to 1615, the city council commissioned the originally
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Cologne City Hall around 1900; the Loggia visible in the centre, Saalbau in centre right and Tower in the background.
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floors also housed the
Senatssaal (i.e. hall of the Cologne Senate). While being heavily damaged during the
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fought in 1288, Cologne became independent from the
Electorate and on 9 September 1475 officially gained
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until 754, however the building was ultimately destroyed by an earthquake in the late 8th century. Under
261:(Mayors) until the year 1797, when council and constitution were replaced by the Napoleonic and later
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in 795, and the area around the former praetorium has become home to both a group of wealthy
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Most of the city administration has been moved to the so-called Stadthaus (i.e.
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style building for meetings and celebrations. The name emerged in reference to
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City of Cologne: Description of the history and architecture of the building
265:. Since 1815 the city council is led by one Oberbürgermeister (Lord Mayor).
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Isabelle Kirgus: Die Rathauslaube in Köln (1569–1573), Bouvier, Bonn, 2003
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was built during the postwar restoration of the historic town hall.
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The City Hall is located on the site of the former Ancient Roman
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style loggia and cloister (the Löwenhof), and the 20th century
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By 1180, the citizens of Cologne won a legal battle against
253:) assumed power in the council. Following the tradition of
225:, for another extension of Cologne's city walls. With the
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was in stark confrontation to the emerge of emancipating
297:(i.e. roofed hall building), which replaced a previous
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The oldest part of today's City Hall is the so-called
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210:gradually changed from a mainly feudal society to
448:delegates at the building during the time of the
388:Close-up of the puzzling von Hochstaden grotesque
121:kings are known to have used the praetorium as a
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597:City of Cologne: Das Glockenspiel im Rathausturm
133:elevated from a bishop's to an archbishop's see
180:and first municipal structures as a basis for
29:style loggia of 1573 as seen from Rathausplatz
695:1130s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire
562:from Latin: "domus in quam cives conveniunt"
109:, which until the year 475 was seat of the
632:(in German, English, Spanish, and French)
488:Historical Archive of the City of Cologne
198:). In the 1106 war of succession between
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166:archbishop. This abundance of power in
162:established a secular government by an
16:Historical building in Cologne, Germany
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690:12th century in the Holy Roman Empire
369:Konrad von Hochstaden statue atop an
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48:, western Germany. It is located off
715:Renaissance architecture in Germany
680:Buildings and structures in Cologne
629:Cologne Tourism: Historic Town Hall
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424:View of Saalbau from the Piazzetta
345:) is played by the tower's bells.
321:bombing of Cologne in World War II
310:, the Emperor and the Privileges.
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573:"Konrad von Hochstaden Explained"
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550:: The 1074 uprising against
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335:. Four times daily, a
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147:granted by the king.
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705:Innenstadt, Cologne
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154:'s younger brother
52:in the district of
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483:History of Cologne
470:Middle Ages portal
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373:-performing
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186:fraternities
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659: /
624:(in German)
400:Renaissance
268:During the
195:Richerzeche
119:Merovingian
77:Renaissance
58:Alter Markt
50:Hohe Straße
27:Renaissance
674:Categories
546:Annals of
513:city house
499:References
299:Romanesque
263:code civil
237:. In 1388
188:and trade
107:Praetorium
91:See also:
62:Lord Mayor
54:Innenstadt
416:Piazzetta
375:grotesque
339:(German:
329:grotesque
137:Patrician
129:Hildebold
66:city hall
37:(German:
35:City Hall
456:See also
337:carillon
172:burghers
145:immunity
725:Loggias
552:Anno II
446:Spanish
295:Saalbau
270:bombing
247:Gaffeln
177:commune
87:History
46:Cologne
41:Rathaus
39:Kölner
582:20 May
430:atrium
409:Kalkar
404:Loggia
402:style
394:Loggia
251:Zünfte
190:guilds
152:Otto I
73:Gothic
517:Deutz
515:) in
314:Tower
233:as a
124:regia
584:2019
249:and
33:The
113:of
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