Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall)

The Rotes Rathaus - Red City Hall - derives its name from the colour of its bricks, and has no political connotations, even though it used to be the City Hall of East Berlin.

Constrcucted between 1861 and 1869 by Hermann Friedrich Wäsemann, it replaced a city block of older structures dating from earlier eras in Berlin's history. The building's style is said to be north Italian High Renaissance and the clock tower is inspired by the cathedral tower of the French city of Laon.

The Rotes Rathaus was partially destroyed during the Second World War and wasn't rebuilt until the 1950s. During the Cold War it was the seat of East Berlin's city goverment, while Rathaus Schöneberg became the provisional headquarters of West Berlin's goverment. Following German reunification Berlin's new unified city administration took over the building and after undergoing much-needed renovation work it became the seat of Berlin's mayor.

St. Marienkirche (0.2 km), Television Tower (0.3 km), Marx-Engels Forum (0.3 km), Klosterstraße (Station) (0.3 km), Alexanderplatz (Station) (0.4 km), Ampelmann Shop in the DomAquarée (0.4 km), World Time Clock (Weltzeituhr) (0.4 km), DDR Museum (GDR Museum) (0.4 km), LOXX Modelleisenbahn Berlin (0.5 km)