This is one of my favourite buildings in Berlin. Berlin’s Town Hall makes every photo colourful, and it is visible from afar, thanks to its distinctive
clock tower and the red brick façade – reason why it is called Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall). The name does NOT come from its socialist past.
In times of the Cold War it was East Berlin’s Magistrate (after 1958), whereas West Berlin’s political centre – the Senate – was in Schöneberger Rathaus, the Town Hall in the suburb of Schöneberg. After the reunification it became the Town Hall of all Berlin on 1 October 1991. The official title of Berlin’s mayor is Regierender Bürgermeister (Reigning Mayor). Note: As Berlin is a one of the three German so-called City States (Stadtstaat) the mayor also is the head of the Berlin state government, and that is why this is called Senate. The same applies to the cities of Hamburg and Bremen.
Across the street (Spandauer Straße) you find
Nikolaiviertel, Berlin’s oldest part including Berlin’s oldest church – and absolutely magnificent!
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Address: Rathausstraße, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn S3, S5, S7, S75, S9
U-Bahn U2, U5, U8, stations Alexanderplatz and Hackescher Markt
on Oct 2, 2007
