Altes Stadthaus, Administrative building in Mitte, Germany
The Altes Stadthaus is an administrative building in central Berlin with five interior courtyards and a prominent 80-meter tower crowned with a copper Fortuna sculpture. The neoclassical facade features detailed stonework and occupies a full city block.
Construction began in 1902 under architect Ludwig Hoffmann and the building opened in 1911 after significant investment. The structure received its current name after World War II, when an adjacent building took over the earlier designation.
The Bear Hall displays 29 allegorical sculptures representing civic virtues and mythological figures, with a central bear statue at its center symbolizing Berlin. These representations show what the city valued when the building was created.
The building sits at the intersection of Judenstrasse, Klosterstrasse, Parochialstrasse, and Stralauer Strasse, easily accessible on foot from Alexanderplatz. Today it houses offices of the Berlin Senate administration, and visitors can view the exterior and enter the lobby area to appreciate the interior details.
The building's name changed after 1945, when it was renamed from the New City Hall to the Old City Hall as a neighboring structure took the former name. This shift reflected Berlin's transition between eras and how the city rebuilt itself.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
