Altes Altonaer Rathaus Plaque

Did you know that this unassuming plaque marks the spot where a remarkable building once stood? This is the site of the Altes Altonaer Rathaus the old Altona town hall. Imagine a time long ago when Altona was a vibrant Danish city the second largest in the entire kingdom. The year is 1713. Swedish soldiers under General Stenbock set fire to Altona. Two-thirds of the city was reduced to ashes including the first Altona town hall. But from the ashes rose a new town hall. It was built between 1716 and 1721 by Claus Stallknecht. Legend says the design was inspired by a French wine bottle label. Stallknecht envisioned a grand structure but one that wouldn’t overwhelm the city’s narrow streets. He used local materials including 150 oak trees from the city forest. The Altes Altonaer Rathaus was a two-story building with a magnificent arched portal and a balcony supported by pillars. Above the balcony a gable featured a statue of Justitia the goddess of justice. Its roof was a mansard roof supposedly the first in Northern Europe. The town hall housed the council chambers courtrooms and even a Ratsweinkeller a town wine cellar. In 1795-96 the upper court room was renovated by Christian Frederik Hansen. A later addition a balcony supported by columns was built in 1802 to accommodate public lottery drawings. The lottery ended in 1853 and the balcony was removed in 1867. The original facade with its portal and small balcony was restored. In 1898 a new town hall opened. The old town hall became the Altona city archive. This archive unfortunately was completely destroyed during an Allied bombing raid in 1943. Irreplaceable documents and manuscripts including letters from famous German writers were lost forever. This plaque serves as a poignant reminder of the Altes Altonaer Rathaus its history and the devastation of war. It’s a small yet significant testament to a lost piece of Hamburg’s past. The Altes Altonaer Rathaus may be gone but its memory lives on.