Stadthaus

The Stadthaus is a striking white building by American architect Richard Meier, completed in 1993 and positioned directly on the Münsterplatz beside the Gothic Minster. The combination is arresting — the clean geometric lines of the Meier building against the elaborate stone tracery of the cathedral makes for one of the more thought-provoking architectural juxtapositions in Germany.

The building houses Ulm's tourist information office, exhibition spaces, and a café. The interior is bright and airy in the way that Meier's buildings typically are, with good natural light and views of the Minster through large windows. Temporary exhibitions are held in the gallery spaces. Worth a look inside if you are visiting the Münsterplatz, which you will be.

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A story
The Stadthaus caused a fierce controversy when it was built in 1993. Richard Meier's stark white modernist building on the Münsterplatz, directly beside the Gothic Minster, was denounced by many as an insult to the cathedral. Meier himself argued that the contrast was the point — that placing a confident modern building next to a medieval one was a more honest act than building a pastiche. Opinion remains divided.