Lübeck's town hall has been the seat of the city government continuously since the thirteenth century, and the building grew piecemeal over four centuries as Hanseatic prosperity demanded more meeting rooms, halls of state, and counting offices. The result is one of the most architecturally complex civic buildings in Europe: a Gothic glazed-brick screen on Breite Straße, the Renaissance Long House, the Bridal Stairs, and a fortress-like dark-brick eastern wall pierced with great wind-circles.
Guided tours run on weekdays — German only, but the spaces speak for themselves. The Festsaal, the Audienzsaal with its Rococo plasterwork, and the wood-panelled Kriegsstube (council chamber) are the highlights. The arcaded ground floor still houses cafes and shops as it has since the Middle Ages.