This building is unique, as it is one of the few places of history Rotterdam still has.
In the modern city centre of Rotterdam, this beautiful building cannot go unnoticed. Built-in 1915 in neo-Renessaince style and with Art-deco influences, this is one of the few structures that survived the bombardment that took place in 1940 which destroyed a big part of the city.
Made of sandstone, the town hall was built after the city decided at the beginning of the 20th century that Rotterdam needed a new and larger town hall. In 1915, Queen Wilhelmina laid the first stone of the impressive building, designed by architect Henri Evers.
The magnificent facade is decorated with sculptures and is crowned with a 71-metre-high bell tower. If you are at the Coolsingel (the street it is located in) on Tuesday afternoon or Friday evening, you can hear the carillon with 63 bells ring!
The facade itself is already impressive, but of course, there is something behind it: a beautiful courtyard, which is free to visit on weekdays! You can also visit special rooms such as the council chamber, the civic hall and the wedding rooms with a guide.
Tips and Tricks
- If you want to view the town hall from the inside, you can do this on Monday at 9:00 or 15:00, or on Friday at 9:00 or 13:30. For this you can email [email protected]. Make sure to email the names of the people that want to join the tour and add a phone number.
How to get there
- Walking: a 10-minute walk from Rotterdam Central Station
- By tram: line 24 (stop: Stadhuis)
