Municipal Building, Government building in Hartford, United States

The Municipal Building, also known as Hartford City Hall, stands at 550 Main Street, bounded by Main, Arch and Prospect Streets. Built of brick faced with Bethel white granite, it has a copper and tile roof and bronze doors. Inside, a three-story central atrium 25 feet wide and 150 feet long is decorated with panels depicting Hartford's history, and the basement holds Guastavino tile vaulting.

Hartford's first city hall, a Greek Revival building, went up in 1827 at Market and Kingsley Streets; city offices moved in 1897 to the 1796 Old State House, soon judged too small. The present building was completed in 1915 after a design competition won by local firm Davis & Brooks, associated with Palmer & Hornbostel of New York and Pittsburgh. J. Pierpont Morgan donated the land, seeking a use for the parcel next to the wing he had given the Wadsworth Atheneum. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

The building's name alternates with Hartford City Hall, and it is the third structure to serve that role. Its three-story central atrium, 25 feet wide and 150 feet long, is decorated with panels depicting the history of Hartford. The basement holds extensive Guastavino tile vaulting.

The building sits in downtown Hartford and is easy to find when exploring the historic neighborhood streets. The ornamental exterior details are clearly visible from the sidewalk, making it simple to admire from outside.

The basement holds extensive Guastavino tile vaulting, a Catalan-style thin-tile system rarely visible in Hartford. The three-story central atrium, 25 feet wide and 150 feet long, is lined with panels depicting the city's history. The land was donated by J. Pierpont Morgan, who wanted a use for the parcel next to the wing he had given the Wadsworth Atheneum.