Goldener Saal, Renaissance ceremonial hall in Augsburg, Germany.
The Goldener Saal is a Renaissance ceremonial room located on the second floor of Augsburg Town Hall, featuring an ornate ceiling and extensive wall decorations. The space displays detailed painted scenes, golden embellishments, and historical portraits that cover the walls and overhead surfaces.
Built from 1615 to 1620 as the imperial hall of Augsburg Town Hall after plans by Elias Holl, the Goldener Saal was finished in 1643. British air raids on 25–26 February 1944 burned the hall down to its outer walls. From 1980 it was reconstructed using historical drawings and photographs, reopening on 9 January 1985 and being completed in 1996.
The hall's name comes from the gold ornament that covers its fittings, restored with 2.6 kg of gold leaf supplied by the Augsburg gold-leaf factory Kühny. Since 1643 it has mainly served as the city's reception and assembly room; the Imperial Diet met here only in 1713 and 1714, after plague broke out in Regensburg.
The hall is located within the town hall building and is accessible to visitors on most days. Plan enough time to look closely at the ornate details covering the walls and ceiling.
Genuine gold leaf was applied during restoration to recreate the original ornamental details lost in the war. The craftsmen used traditional techniques to ensure the decorations matched the historical appearance as closely as possible.
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