Rådhuset

Malmö City Hall (Rådhuset) on the eastern edge of the Stortorget square is the first monumental building of its kind in the city, with its completion dated to 1546. The history of the site goes back further, however, since a town hall standing at a different location was already mentioned in 1353. The square as it looks today only came into being after the Reformation, when then-mayor Jörgen Kock had the Helgeand Monastery that stood there torn down to enlarge the marketplace. During preparations for the stately new building on the east side of the square, medieval vaulted arches from the 14th century were even discovered and incorporated into the construction. The shell of the building took from 1544 to 1547 to complete, with the bricks for the project made in a municipal kiln.

The present-day facade in the Dutch Renaissance style dates from the 1860s and replaced an earlier neoclassical design. The architect Helgo Zettervall freely reinterpreted the look of the early town hall and added numerous sculptures. These depict important figures from the city's history as well as the goddess Themis, flanked by allegorical figures symbolizing agriculture, shipping, carpentry, and trade. The two-story central building with eleven bays impresses with its nearly symmetrical layout. A towering spire with a large round clock and a golden tip bearing a sword and scales dominates the view. The ground floor rests on historic barrel vaults, while the upper floors are adorned with magnificent stucco work from the 19th century.

You can explore the interior of the listed complex, which still serves as the seat of the city administration today. The ground floor holds the historic Rådhuskällaren (town hall cellar), while on the second floor the Knutssalen is used as a hall of mirrors for festive occasions. Also on this floor is the Bernadotte Salon, which is reserved for high-ranking guests and displays portraits of the royal family. A modern annex from the late 1950s houses the district court as well as the Rådhushall, which is used for large art exhibitions and events. In the basement of this annex, you can still see the medieval vaults of the earlier buildings that stood on this site.