Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Town Hall

Berwick-upon-Tweed is the northernmost town in England. Although the town is on the northern (Scottish) side of the river, it is part of England as the border runs around Berwick, making it the only part of England north of the Tweed. Due to its location, Berwick held a key strategic position in the wars between England and Scotland for more than 300 years from the mid-11th century, and was the scene of a number of key events in the Anglo-Scottish Border Wars. In 1174, Berwick passed to England as a pledge for the subjugation of William I of Scotland, who had been captured by Henry II of England in an attempt to conquer Northumberland. In 1190, William I bought back his independence from Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) for 10,000 marks, which Richard needed to finance his crusade, and Berwick became Scottish again. In 1216, the town was destroyed by the English King John (Lackland). In 1296 Berwick was stormed and plundered by Edward I of England. Almost all the inhabitants remaining in the town were slain. The current building was commissioned to replace an earlier building. The construction of the new town hall began in 1754 and was opened as Berwick Town Hall in 1760. A 46 m belfry and clock tower with a weather vane towered above the portico. After WWII the proposed demolition of the town hall was considered by the borough council, but in the end it was extensively refurbished instead.

The town of Kelso came into being as a direct result of the creation of Kelso Abbey in 1128. Today the abbey is in ruins and Kelso is a town with a population of about 5500. The foundation stone for the town hall was laid by the 5th Duke of Roxburghe in March 1816. It was designed in the neoclassical style, and was completed later in the year. The ground floor was originally open, so that markets could be held, with an assembly room on the first floor. The 8th Duke of Roxburghe transferred ownership of the building to the burgh council in 1902, and it was re-modelled in the Baroque Revival style.

The town became prominent in the 12th century, with the establishment of important Paisley Abbey. The Bargarran witches were tried in Paisley in 1697. Seven were convicted and five were hanged and then burnt. This was the last mass execution for witchcraft in western Europe. Paisley expanded significantly during the Industrial Revolution as a result of its location with access to the Clyde and nearby ore, mineral and agricultural resources. Factories and mills developed leading to an increase in the town's population. By the late 19th century, Paisley was a global centre of the weaving industry, giving its name to the Paisley shawl and the Paisley pattern. Despite being of a Kashmiri design, the teardrop-like pattern soon became known by Paisley's name across the western world. The foundation stone for the town hall was laid in 1879. It was designed in the Classical style and officially opened in 1882. The building, is by now converted into a centre for performing arts.

Today, Plasencia is a city with more than 40,000 inhabitants. The city was founded in 1186 by Alfonso VIII of Castile during the reconquest of the Moorish-occupied territories from the 10th century onwards and was elevated to the status of a bishop's see by Pope Clement III just three years later. However, the conflicts between Christians and the Almohads, who were dominant at the time, continued until 1212, when the city finally came under Christian rule after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. The old town hall on the Plaza Mayor has a very interesting clock, whith this huge jacquemart (aka "quarter-jack").

Today, Plasencia is a city with more than 40,000 inhabitants. The city was founded in 1186 by Alfonso VIII of Castile during the reconquest of the Moorish-occupied territories from the 10th century onwards and was elevated to the status of a bishop's see by Pope Clement III just three years later. However, the conflicts between Christians and the Almohads, who were dominant at the time, continued until 1212, when the city finally came under Christian rule after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. The old town hall on the Plaza Mayor has a very interesting clock.

Pliny the Elder mentions Segontia in the 1st century AD in his work "Naturalis Historia" as a Celtiberian settlement. The area was taken by the Romans in the Numantine War (154-133 BC). After the end of the Western Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths, who also founded the diocese of Sigüenza in 589. Taken over by the Moors around 712, the Christians reconquered the city in 1123. The construction of the cathedral began only a short time later, but it would take several centuries to complete. Today Sigüenza is a town with a population of about 4500. The Visigoths built a small castle in the 5th century above the town. The Moors built a large fortified castle in the early 8th century. It was enclosed by a defensive wall providing an area known as the medina. In 1124, the castle was retaken by Bernard of Agen allowing Simón Girón de Cisneros to build an episcopal palace there. In the 15th century, the castle was strengthened by the bishops to protect it from attacks from Aragon and Navarre. The “Palacio de Ayuntamiento” (Town Hall), located in the Plaza Mayor, just opposite the cathedral, was erected in the 16th century.

All villages and towns were preparing for Christmas.

The history of Opole dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The territory is politically disputed. Around 990 Silesia, together with the territory of Opole, was annexed by Mieszko I to the Polish state. In 1039 Břetislav I reconquered the territory for eleven years, after which Opole reverted to Bohemia. In 1050, Casimir I reconquered Silesia. It became a Polish duchy in 1172 and received city rights from Duke Casimir I of Opole in 1217. Opole was a center of trade. Several trade routes crossed here, which helped to make profits from transit trade. After the death of King Ludvík II Silesia was inherited by Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, placing Opole under the sovereignty of the Habsburg monarchy of Austria. The Habsburgs took control of the region in 1532 but pawned the duchy to different rulers including several monarchs of Poland. In 1615, a fire destroyed all the houses within the city walls. After the Swedish invasion of Poland, in 1655 John II Casimir Vasa stayed with his court here. In November of that year, the "Uniwersał opolski" was issued here by the King, calling for Poles to rise against the Swedes. After 1668 the region passed again to the control of the Habsburgs. Frederick II of Prussia conquered most of Silesia from Austria in 1740 during the Silesian Wars. Under Prussian rule, the ethnic structure of the city began to change and a kind of "Germanization" set in. Nevertheless, Opole remained an important cultural, social and political center for the Poles in Upper Silesia. In the course of German unification in 1871 Opole became part of the German Empire. After WWI, a referendum was held with the result that Silesia remained part of the German Reich. After the end of WWII in 1945, Oppeln was transferred from Germany to Poland and the name changed from Oppeln to Opole. The Town Hall is located in the center of the Rynek (Market Square). The first wooden town hall was located here already in the early 14th century. In the 15th/16th century, the wooden building was replaced by one made of bricks. In the summer of 1615, the town hall and many buildings on the Rynek burned down. Already in 1619, the town hall was completed again. In 1739 there was another big fire in the town. Only the outer walls of the town hall remained standing. Some years later the town hall was restored. In 1818 the construction of the new town hall began. The tower was built in 1863. This tower collapsed during reconstruction works in the 1930s and was rebuilt in 1936.

Tartu (German Dorpat) is the second-largest city in Estonia, after Tallinn. In the early 11th century Yaroslav I the Wise, Prince of Kiev, invaded the region and after a victorious battle with the locals built his own fort there, Tartu probably remained under Kievan control until 1061, when the fort was burned down by an Estonian tribe. Soon afterwards the fort was rebuilt. During the Northern Crusades in the beginning of the 13th century, the fort was captured by the crusading Brothers of the Sword — and recaptured by Estonians. In 1224 the fort was besieged and conquered for one last time by the Teutonic crusaders. Subsequently, Dorpat became a commercial centre of considerable importance during the later Middle Ages and the capital of the semi-independent Bishopric of Dorpat. German merchants and artisans settled alongside the bishop's fortress. In the 1280s Dorpat joined the Hanseatic League. In 1558, tsar Ivan the Terrible invaded Tartu beginning the Livonian War. His forces encircled the town. After a heavy bombardment, the town surrendered. In 1582, the city became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1598. A Jesuit grammar school "Gymnasium Dorpatense" was established in 1583. In the effect of the Polish-Swedish War, in 1625 Tartu was captured by Sweden. The city became part of the Dominions of Sweden, which led to the foundation of the University of Tartu in 1632 by king Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. So the University of Tartu is Estonia´s oldest and still most renowned university In 1704 the town was taken by the Russians army. In 1708 the fortifications and houses, including the remains of bishops castle, were blown up, all movable property was looted and the citizens deported to Russia. In 1721, the city became part of the Russian Empire and was known as Derpt. A great fire in 1775 destroyed most of the buildings in the centre. The city was rebuilt along Late Baroque and Neoclassical lines. During the second half of the 19th century, Tartu was the cultural centre for Estonians in the era of Romantic nationalism. The city hosted Estonia's first song festival in 1869. The raekoda (town hall) is the third consecutive town hall built on the same site in the Hanseatic city's more than eight hundred-year history. Its predecessor, built in 1693, collapsed in 1726 after being badly damaged in the Northern War. The devastating fire in the old town in 1775 created both the need and the opportunity to erect a new building. The architect Johann Heinrich Bartholomäus Walther designed the new representative council building. The building was officially inaugurated in 1786 and finally completed in 1789. From the outset, the building was designed to house a number of tenants in addition to the city government; a prison and storage for weighs and measures were included already in the original drawings. To this day a pharmacy is located in parts of the premises The fountain in the foreground shows two students kissing.

Greifswald's foundation can be traced back to Cistercian Kloster Eldena (Eldena Monastery), to whose estate it initially belonged. Salt was produced here and so it may have been a settlement of salt workers. In June 1249, the local prince Wartislaw III received a fiefdom from the monastery over the town, which was granted the "Lübische Stadtrecht" (city rights) in 1250. In 1264 the city was allowed to build a protective wall and fortifications. In 1278, Greifswald was first mentioned in a document as a member of the Hanseatic League. However, as early as the 14th and then in the 15th century, Greifswald's harbour no longer met the requirements of shipping traffic, as it silted up. As a result, Greifswald fell behind the other Hanseatic towns. In 1456, Duke Wartislaw IX founded the university as the Pomeranian State University. The still existing university is the second oldest university in the Baltic region after Rostock. The Thirty Years' War brought horrible times. The imperial troops led by notorious Wallenstein entered Greifswald in 1627 and set up a regime of terror in which the population was plundered. To repel the Swedish troops, Wallenstein had the fortifications reinforced and used the population for forced labour. A plague epidemic decimated the population to such an extent that by the end of the war only half the houses were inhabited. In 1631, King Gustav Adolf II's troops captured Greifswald after a short battle. Pomerania was now swedish until the Congress of Vienna in 1815. - Greifswald's town hall was built in the middle of the market. The foundation walls of the town hall probably also date from ~ 1250, but it is not until 1349 that a "kophus" (store) is mentioned. In 1713, the town hall burnt down in the great town fire. It was rebuilt by 1738 and then altered several times. From 1996 to 1997, the town hall was extensively renovated. It was given back its dark red colour. The town hall to the right, the tower of the Dom St. Nikolai in the backdrop.

Greifswald's foundation can be traced back to Cistercian Kloster Eldena (Eldena Monastery), to whose estate it initially belonged. Salt was produced here and so it may have been a settlement of salt workers. In June 1249, the local prince Wartislaw III received a fiefdom from the monastery over the town, which was granted the "Lübische Stadtrecht" (city rights) in 1250. In 1264 the city was allowed to build a protective wall and fortifications. In 1278, Greifswald was first mentioned in a document as a member of the Hanseatic League. However, as early as the 14th and then in the 15th century, Greifswald's harbour no longer met the requirements of shipping traffic, as it silted up. As a result, Greifswald fell behind the other Hanseatic towns. In 1456, Duke Wartislaw IX founded the university as the Pomeranian State University. The still existing university is the second oldest university in the Baltic region after Rostock. The Thirty Years' War brought horrible times. The imperial troops led by notorious Wallenstein entered Greifswald in 1627 and set up a regime of terror in which the population was plundered. To repel the Swedish troops, Wallenstein had the fortifications reinforced and used the population for forced labour. A plague epidemic decimated the population to such an extent that by the end of the war only half the houses were inhabited. In 1631, King Gustav Adolf II's troops captured Greifswald after a short battle. Pomerania was now swedish until the Congress of Vienna in 1815. - Greifswald's town hall was built in the middle of the market. The foundation walls of the town hall probably also date from ~ 1250, but it is not until 1349 that a "kophus" (store) is mentioned. In 1551, the "Radhus" (Rathaus, Town Hall) is mentioned for the first time. Since then, many changes have been made to the building. In 1713, the town hall burnt down in the great town fire. It was rebuilt by 1738 and then altered several times. From 1996 to 1997, the town hall was extensively renovated. It was given back its dark red colour.

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. The town hall of Lübeck (seen from the tower of St. Petri) is one of the most famous buildings of the brick Gothic style. It is one of the largest medieval town halls in Germany. The history of the building begins in the 13th century, it was repeatedly expanded and remodelled. Today it is considered an example of the brick Gothic architecture of Northern Germany. In 1570-1572 a Gothic portico was replaced by the present one in the Renaissance style.

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. The town hall of Lübeck (seen from the tower of St. Petri) is one of the most famous buildings of the brick Gothic style. It is one of the largest medieval town halls in Germany. The history of the building begins in the 13th century, it was repeatedly expanded and remodelled. Today it is considered an example of the brick Gothic architecture of Northern Germany. The wooden oriel was added to the building in 1586.

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. The town hall of Lübeck (seen from the tower of St. Petri) is one of the most famous buildings of the brick Gothic style. It is one of the largest medieval town halls in Germany. The history of the building begins in the 13th century, it was repeatedly expanded and remodeled. Today it is considered an example of brick Gothic architecture of Northern Germany.

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. The town hall of Lübeck (seen from the tower of St. Petri) is one of the most famous buildings of the brick Gothic style. It is one of the largest medieval town halls in Germany. The history of the building begins in the 13th century, it was repeatedly expanded and remodeled. Today it is considered an example of brick Gothic architecture of Northern Germany.

The area around Lübeck, today a large city with a population of more than 200,000, had been settled by Slavs since the 7th century. Slavs had a settlement north of the present city called "Liubice", which was razed by the pagan Rani tribe in 1128. 15 years later Adolf II, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, founded the modern town as a German settlement on the river island of Bucu. He built a new castle, first mentioned as existing in 1147. Adolf II had to cede the castle to the Duke of Saxony, Henry the Lion, in 1158. After Henry's fall from power in 1181, the town became an Imperial city. Emperor Barbarossa ordained that the city should have a ruling council of 20 members. With the council dominated by merchants, trade interests shaped Lübeck's politics for centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League", being by far the largest and most powerful member of that medieval trade organization. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV named Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire", a title shared with Venice, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. Conflicts about trading privileges resulted in fighting between Lübeck (with the Hanseatic League) and Denmark and Norway – with varying outcome. While Lübeck and the Hanseatic League prevailed in conflicts in 1435 and 1512, Lübeck lost when it became involved in a civil war that raged in Denmark from 1534 to 1536. From then on Lübeck's power slowly declined. The city remained neutral in the Thirty Years' War, but the devastation from the decades-long war and the new transatlantic orientation of European trade caused the Hanseatic League – and thus Lübeck with it – to decline in importance. However, Lübeck still remained an important trading town on the Baltic Sea. The town hall of Lübeck is one of the most famous buildings of the brick Gothic style. It is one of the largest medieval town halls in Germany. The history of the building begins in the 13th century, it was repeatedly expanded and remodeled. Today it is considered an example of brick Gothic architecture of Northern Germany. The entrance hall.