Sheffield's seat of local government, completed in 1897 in a confident Renaissance Revival style and topped by a 64-metre clock tower crowned with a bronze statue of Vulcan, Roman god of metalworking — an appropriate symbol for a city built on steel. The carved façade running around the building depicts scenes of Sheffield trades and industries.
The interior is largely closed to the public except during Heritage Open Days each September, when the Council Chamber, banqueting hall, and grand staircase open for guided tours. Worth circling the outside to see the carved frieze and the Vulcan statue, and to look across to the Peace Gardens on the south side.