The Town Hall in the city of Bamberg is a very important historical building. It is situated in the middle of a small island in the river Regnitz, created artificially. It is connected to the land thanks to two bridges, which are named Lower and Upper.
The first historical mention of this town hall dates back to the late 14th century, and such an unusual choice of the building's location is explained by a legend. After another protest by the townspeople against the authority of the bishop in Bamberg, there was a great fire, as a result of which the town hall was completely burnt down. The bishop was so angry that he forbade the citizens to erect a new building on their land. Then the inhabitants of the town applied their ingenuity and decided to bypass the ban of the authorities. For this reason, an artificial island was created on the river, where they later built a new town hall.
Over time, the building was repeatedly subjected to changes and reconstructions. For example, in the 15th century it was restored in the Gothic style, and already in the 18th century, thanks to the labours of Johann Jakob Küchel, it acquired a modern Baroque appearance. In the same period of time, the facade of the town hall was worked on by the artist Johann Anwander, whose works can be seen not only on the vaults of the building, but also in the niches and on the columns.
The interior of the Town Hall has preserved the Assembly Hall, which appeared here in the middle of the 18th century. It now houses the largest collection of porcelain and faience in Germany. The Town Hall has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. This beautiful and rather unusual building, designed in several styles, is open to the public. There is a museum on the grounds of the town hall.
