The Town Hall of Bern is located in the northern part of the Old Town of Bern, on the high Bank of the river Aare. It was built between 1406 and 1415 in the Romanesque style, by the architects Heinrich Gongelbach and Hans Goetzel.
The Town Hall of Bern hosts weekly meetings of the town Council and the government of the Canton. Church meetings are sometimes held here, and the cantonal Parliament meets five times a year. At this time, the flag of Bern is raised over the Town Hall.
After the construction was completed in the 15th century, the Town Hall was restored in later centuries. It has Gothic elements, but in general the Town Hall has retained its Romanesque appearance. The front porch with stone carvings, which leads to the second floor, looks very beautiful. The carvings are made in the Renaissance style. In some places, it is even covered with icing. The Town Hall of Bern is open to the public, but not on all days.
The Rathausplatz is a small but very beautiful square. It is overlooked by the Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, built in 1858. In the corner of the square, there is a Standard-Bearer fountain, installed in 1542. The square itself is surrounded by beautiful 19th-century houses.
