Rathaus station

The historic Town Hall in the heart of downtown Cologne is considered the oldest town hall in Germany and looks back on a building history spanning more than 800 years. The complex is grouped around Rathausplatz and consists of several interconnected sections, including the core building erected around 1330, the late Gothic town hall tower built between 1407 and 1414, and the Renaissance loggia added in front of it in 1569. The tower, which recalls Dutch belfries, once housed the council chamber and served as a secure place to store the city's records. Today you can also marvel at the carillon there, which plays melodies at fixed times every day, including works by Karlheinz Stockhausen. On the east side, the so-called Platzjabbeck sticks out its tongue on the hour, a symbol of the self-confidence of Cologne's citizens.

For visitors, the Hansasaal is the heart of the building. This High Gothic hall, where an important Hanseatic League assembly took place in 1367, impresses with its pointed vaulted ceiling and the depiction of the "Nine Worthies" on the south wall. The Prophets' Chamber, with its eight figures that once served as a warning to the councilmen, is also part of the historic tour routes. In the foyer, which serves as a reception area, you can see, among other things, a copy of the altarpiece of the city's patron saints by Stefan Lochner. The Spanish Building, a structure in the style of the late Dutch Renaissance, now houses, among other things, a wheelchair-accessible wedding room. During reconstruction work in the 1950s, Roman foundations were uncovered here; they were integrated into the modern building and point to the city's ancient history.