Demokratie bauen!

Rathaustour: Herausragende Rathausbauten aus drei Epochen – Hanau, Hainburg und Aschaffenburg

A tour that feels like a journey through time across three different eras.

In Hanau, Martin Hoppe from the city’s Department of Culture will guide you through the Baroque-style Neustadt Town Hall. Along the way, he will share the history of this significant building, which stands to this day as a symbol of local self-government in the heart of the city. The Hainburg Town Hall, completed in 2022, is one of the most modern town hall buildings in the region. It has received multiple awards for its design and timber construction. We look forward to Mayor Christian Spahn’s guided tour of the building.

The Aschaffenburg City Hall offers fascinating insights into 1950s architecture and demonstrates how a city reimagined its administrative headquarters. Dr. Vaios Kalogrias and Markus Schmitt from the City and Abbey Archives will lead a tour of the City Hall, combining the visit with a presentation of the results from the “Freedom Workshop” on the design of the Grand Council Chamber as part of the “Building Democracy!” initiative.

Cost: €12.50 / €7 for students, high school students, and apprentices

Start and finish: Hanau Central Station

Registration required: Not yet available; please send a reservation request by email to info@krfrm.de

Town halls occupy a special place among public buildings. Since the Middle Ages, they have symbolized local self-government. In a democracy, many expectations are placed on their design: whether as representative structures of local democracy or as central hubs that foster identity and community. Here, the sovereign encounters itself, so to speak.

Several day-long excursions via public transit, bus, or bicycle connect town halls in both smaller and larger towns across the region. They span the history of town hall architecture from its origins in the Middle Ages to the present day. Local partners explain local stories and architectural features and lead visitors into the heart of the town halls: the council chambers.

Participation in the tours requires a small fee. The number of participants is limited, and registration is required. Registration can be made through KulturRegion and/or the contact listed below for each tour.

KulturRegion FrankfurtRheinMain, in cooperation with the City of Hanau and the Volkshochschule Hanau, the Municipality of Hainburg, and the Aschaffenburg City and Abbey Archives