After the old city hall burned to the ground in 1846, city officials began discusssing its replacement. However, it too some forty years for the work to actually commence, and eleven more years to complete. When the hall was innaugurated in 1897, the first mayor, Dr. Johannes Versmann, received the key to the splendidly ornate structure that announced to the world the historical importance and cultural awareness of the citizens of Hamburg.
The Hamburg city hall is an outstanding example of what Carl Shorske calls “cultural self-projection.”
more to come...
