Old Town Hall (Leipzig)

The Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) in Leipzig is the city's most photographed building and one of the finest Renaissance town halls in Germany. Its long facade, decorative gables, arcades and off-center tower dominate the Markt, Leipzig's main square. Inside, the City History Museum tells a thousand years of the city's story, and admission to the permanent exhibition is free. If you are looking for things to do in Leipzig, this is a natural first stop.

Where it is and how to get there

The Old Town Hall stands on the east side of the Markt in the heart of Leipzig, Saxony. The Markt S-Bahn station in the City Tunnel is right beneath the square, and Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is about a ten-minute walk away. Leipzig is roughly an hour and a quarter from Berlin by ICE, and Leipzig/Halle Airport is linked to the central station by train. The Deutschlandticket covers local S-Bahn and tram rides. Drivers should use a parking garage near the ring road, since the old town is largely car-free.

A Renaissance landmark built in record time

A town hall on this spot is documented as early as 1360. The building you see today largely dates from 1556, when mayor and master builder Hieronymus Lotter rebuilt it in the Saxon Renaissance style. Work ran from March to November of that year. The main facade is about 93 meters (305 feet) long, and the tower rises around 41 meters.

When Leipzig built its New Town Hall around 1900, the old one nearly faced demolition. A narrow city council vote saved it in 1905, and in 1909 it reopened as the City History Museum. The roof burned during a 1943 air raid, and the building was restored after the war.

What to see inside

• The Great Hall (Festsaal), about 40 meters long, with a detailed model of the city from 1823.
• "Leipzig Original", covering the city from the Middle Ages to the Battle of the Nations in 1813.
• "Modern Times", from industrialization to the present day.
• Star objects such as the famous 1746 portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach by Elias Gottlob Haussmann and the 1525 wedding ring of Katharina von Bora, Martin Luther's wife.

Around 2,000 objects are on display. Plan on one to two hours.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026, the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed on Mondays, December 24 and December 31. Admission to the permanent exhibition is free. A German-language highlights tour runs on the second and fourth Sunday of each month at 11 a.m.

A staff-operated elevator is available (ring at the entrance), and there is an accessible restroom on the second floor.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. Even if you only admire the facade, the Old Town Hall is the centerpiece of any walk through Leipzig, and the free museum is a bargain. Behind the building lies the Naschmarkt with the Old Stock Exchange and a statue of Goethe. Within a few minutes' walk you will find Auerbachs Keller, St. Nicholas Church, St. Thomas Church with the Bach Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, making it easy to combine several sights in a day trip from Berlin or Dresden.

Christmas market 2026

The heart of Leipzig's Christmas market is in front of the Old Town Hall; it runs from 24 November to 23 December 2026. Opening hours are Sunday to Thursday 11 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 10 pm, with an 8 pm close on 22 and 23 December. On opening day the big Christmas tree is lit at around 5 pm on the stage on the Markt. All squares and tips are in our guide Leipzig Christmas market 2026.