Town Hall
Those entering the market square from the stone bridge or Blasiistraße are greeted by a charming sight. Across the spacious square, lined with half-timbered houses, the eye is drawn directly to the vine-covered facade of the town hall and the towers of St. Benedict's Market Church. Together, they form an impressive ensemble that borders the north side of the square, which was laid out around 1150.
On November 23, 994, Otto III granted the secular convent in Quedlinburg the rights to hold markets, mint coins, and collect customs duties. North of the castle, at the intersection of important medieval roads and trade routes, a merchant settlement developed in the area between Kornmarkt, Breite Straße, Marktstraße, and today's town hall. It benefited from this privilege and quickly developed into a well-functioning community with its own administration.
The town hall was first mentioned in documents in 1310. The early Gothic building has been preserved in its core to this day. By medieval standards, the single-story stone building with its high gabled roof is an exceptionally large structure—a sign of the economic power of the up-and-coming city. The pointed arch windows were replaced by Renaissance forms in the 17th century. During these renovations between 1616 and 1619, the entrance, which was originally on the north side, was moved to the market side and decorated with a magnificent Renaissance portal crowned by Abundantia, the goddess of prosperity. Above the door is the Quedlinburg coat of arms with a seated dog in an open gate. On the left side, the 2.75-meter-tall Roland statue was re-erected in 1869, having stood in the courtyard of the Ratskeller for centuries. It was probably erected on the market square shortly after the city joined the Hanseatic League in 1426. But just a few decades later, after the city's defeat in the fight for its independence from Abbess Hedwig of Saxony in 1477, it fell.
A wide open staircase leads into a hall supported by pillars. The stone staircase inside was built during the town hall extension between 1898 and 1901. The wooden column with the figure of St. Christopher in the hall is part of the old building structure. The colored glass window at the staircase shows the city coat of arms and, below it, the crossed serving knives of the Free Secular Women's Foundation. Like the window in the city council chamber, it is the work of Quedlinburg glass painter Ferdinand Müller from 1901. Also worth seeing are two magnificently carved doors from 1659 and 1693 in the upper hallway.
The city council chamber is located in the extension to the town hall, which was built between 1898 and 1901 based on designs by Quedlinburg's city planning officer Laumer. With the exception of the seating, the interior furnishings date back to the time of construction. During renovation work in 1974, the semicircular desks and seats for the city councilors were removed. The murals, created in 1901 by Berlin historical painter Professor Markus, depict scenes from Quedlinburg's city history.
The front of the room is adorned with a large round glass window. In the center is a depiction of the transfer of the royal crown to the Saxon Duke Henry. Henry was elected German king in 919 and found his final resting place in Quitilingaburg in 939.