118:
133:
83:
98:
168:
203:
53:
657:, relief in times of disaster, and for posting lists of war casualties, as well as for the more usual civil functions, festivities, and entertainments. Local councils have increasingly tended to move administrative functions into modern offices. Where new premises are designed and constructed to house local governments, the functions of an administrative office and a civic town hall have become separated.
214:
68:
184:
149:
627:, both town halls, date from 1297 and 1299 respectively. In each case, the large, fortified building comprises a large meeting hall and numerous administrative chambers. Both buildings are topped by very tall towers, have ancient clocks by which the townsfolk can regulate their lives, and have storerooms for
299:
By convention, until the middle of the 19th century, a single large open chamber (or "hall") formed an integral part of the building housing the council. The hall may be used for council meetings and other significant events. This large chamber, the "town hall" (and its later variant "city hall") has
307:
of the community. In many cases, "town halls" serve not only as buildings for government functions, but also have facilities for various civic and cultural activities. These may include art shows, stage performances, exhibits, and festivals. Modern town halls or "civic centres" are often designed
564:. There the lord lived with his family and retinue, ate, slept, and administered rule and justice. Activities in the hall played an essential role in the functioning of the feudal manor, the administrative unit of society. As manorial dwellings developed into
300:
become synonymous with the whole building, and with the administrative body housed in it. The terms "council chambers", "municipal building" or variants may be used locally in preference to "town hall" if no such large hall is present within the building.
435:
town hall: "A building used for the administration of local government, the holding of court sessions, public meetings, entertainments, etc.; (in early use also) a large hall used for such purposes within a larger building or set of buildings. ... By
598:
The modern concept of the town hall developed with the rise of local or regional government. Cities administered by a group of elected or chosen representatives, rather than by a lord or princely ruler, required a place for them to meet.
394:, where a distinction is made between city halls and town halls. The term is also sometimes (but more rarely) used as a name in Commonwealth countries: for example, for the City Halls of
525:, built in the 1850s as a seat of local government, now functions primarily as a concert, conference, and wedding venue, many of its municipal functions having moved in 1933 to the new
642:
During the 19th century, town halls often included reading rooms to provide free education to the public, and it later became customary for the council to establish and maintain a
646:. The grand chamber or meeting place, the "town hall" itself, became a place for receptions, banquets, balls, and public entertainment. Town halls were often equipped with large
335:
As symbols of local government, city, and town halls have distinctive architecture, and the buildings may have great historical significance – for example the
595:
at street level, and one or more rooms used for public or civic purposes above it. These buildings were frequently the precursors of dedicated town halls.
635:, with its 96-meter (315 ft) tower, is one of the grandest examples of the medieval era, serving as a model for 19th-century town halls such as the
422:
in London, opened in 2002, is an exceptional case, being the seat not of a conventional municipal authority, but of a regional strategic authority.
117:
1028:
1009:
782:
308:
with a great variety and flexibility of purpose in mind. In some
European countries, the town hall is the venue for the declaration of
132:
1047:
195:
758:
990:
443:
city hall: "(The name of) the chief administrative building or offices of a municipal government. ... Originally and chiefly
842:
690:
265:
82:
42:
35:
1052:
925:
891:
482:
467:
427:
91:
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490:
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930:
896:
486:
750:
600:
352:
56:
720:
670:
624:
502:
419:
360:
153:
580:
514:
510:
364:
217:
632:
498:
407:
403:
399:
395:
102:
71:
280:, its associated departments, and their employees. It also usually functions as the base of the
1024:
1005:
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754:
616:
608:
549:
478:
455:
411:
336:
187:
938:
904:
612:
526:
372:
296:, and of the executive arm of the municipality (if one exists distinctly from the council).
229:
137:
97:
52:
636:
620:
522:
462:" or "shire hall". Conversely, cities that have subdivisions with their councils may have
309:
304:
167:
121:
179:
as an example of a half-timbered town hall from the transition from Gothic to
Renaissance
63:, Italy. It has been a town hall since 1144, making it the oldest town hall in the world.
202:
979:
643:
607:, has been a town hall since AD 1144, making it the oldest town hall in the world. The
474:
451:
356:
245:
207:
810:
653:
In the 20th century, town halls served the public as places for voting, examinations,
382:
People in some regions use the term "city hall" to designate the council offices of a
1041:
919:
885:
700:
677:"You can't fight city hall". "Town hall" tends to have less formal connotations (cf.
391:
340:
221:
75:
715:
678:
654:
542:
383:
277:
273:
269:
110:
87:
1002:
Architecture and power: the town hall and the
English urban community, c.1500–1640
213:
67:
850:
744:
611:
of 1135 is a prominent example of the municipal autonomy of medieval cities. The
355:, the term "town hall" may be used even in a city. This is often the case in the
303:
The local government may endeavor to use the building to promote and enhance the
705:
631:. These features became standard for town halls across Europe. The 15th-century
592:
588:
584:
565:
561:
470:
in larger cities operates from the "City
Chambers", otherwise the "Town House".
459:
387:
376:
261:
481:, signifying a place where taxes were paid. In a few English cities (including
183:
647:
576:, the great hall remained an essential unit within the architectural complex.
553:
157:
148:
710:
506:
368:
249:
141:
501:". In Birmingham, there is a distinction between the Council House and the
473:
Other names are occasionally used. The administrative headquarters of the
628:
538:
437:
125:
31:
666:
494:
463:
329:
321:
285:
176:
172:
17:
695:
573:
569:
545:
for the administration of justice, as meeting places, and for trade.
415:
317:
289:
191:
161:
440:: the government or administration of a town; the town authorities."
952:
458:
generally operate from a base in a building called, by analogy, a "
674:
518:
325:
313:
293:
281:
212:
201:
182:
166:
147:
131:
116:
96:
81:
66:
51:
604:
106:
60:
493:) the preferred term is "Council House": this was also true in
41:"City Hall" and "Rathaus" redirect here. For other uses, see
665:
Particularly in North
America, "city hall" can be used as a
556:, a single large open chamber, was the main, and sometimes
830: b : city officialdom or bureaucracy
74:, the oldest continuous seat of local government in the
1021:
City Hall: Masterpieces of
American Civic Architecture
783:"The Reporters of City Hall Return to Their Old Perch"
826:
1 : the chief administrative building of a city
505:, a concert and meeting venue that pre-dates it. In
447:. Municipal officers collectively; city government."
978:
918:
884:
140:, marking the Inauguration of the Commonwealth of
30:"Town Hall" redirects here. For the website, see
27:Chief administrative building of a municipality
591:, comprising a covered space to function as a
8:
874:, Tartu Postimees.ee, retrieved 17 June 2020
497:until 2012, when the building was renamed "
738:
736:
513:, the seat of local government, and the
339:. City hall buildings may also serve as
732:
109:, United Kingdom, closely resembling a
985:. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
673:, or government in general, as in the
86:A consolidated town hall, police, and
781:Grynbaum, Michael M. (May 24, 2012).
7:
939:participating institution membership
905:participating institution membership
805:
803:
224:takes place on 10 December each year
517:, a concert and ballroom venue. In
268:building of a city, town, or other
981:Victorian and Edwardian Town Halls
477:retains its Anglo-Saxon name, the
196:Municipal Council of Penang Island
25:
828:2 a : a municipal government
815:Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
509:, the distinction is between the
650:to facilitate public recitals.
418:, Ireland, is another example.
603:, seat of the municipality of
124:, seat of the municipality of
59:, seat of the municipality of
1:
872:Christmas Peace is Proclaimed
343:that symbolize their cities.
579:In the later Middle Ages or
454:administrations in parts of
1004:. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
691:List of city and town halls
431:sums up the generic terms:
1069:
977:Cunningham, Colin (1981).
743:Falconi, Fabrizio (2015).
43:City Hall (disambiguation)
40:
36:Town Hall (disambiguation)
29:
1048:Seats of local government
926:Oxford English Dictionary
892:Oxford English Dictionary
746:Roma segreta e misteriosa
468:Scottish local government
428:Oxford English Dictionary
92:South Palm Beach, Florida
1019:Drooker, Arthur (2021).
1000:Tittler, Robert (1991).
272:. It usually houses the
47:Rathaus (disambiguation)
1023:. Schiffer Publishing.
931:Oxford University Press
897:Oxford University Press
194:, houses the office of
955:. Chambersharrap.co.uk
953:"chambersharrap.co.uk"
751:Newton Compton Editori
560:room of the home of a
390:. This is the case in
353:Commonwealth countries
225:
210:
199:
180:
164:
145:
129:
114:
94:
79:
64:
34:. For other uses, see
843:"Christmas in Porvoo"
721:Administrative centre
398:in Australia, and of
216:
205:
188:George Town City Hall
186:
170:
151:
135:
120:
100:
85:
70:
55:
853:on 29 September 2020
671:municipal government
625:Republic of Florence
361:Manchester Town Hall
929:(Online ed.).
895:(Online ed.).
581:early modern period
537:Large halls called
365:Liverpool Town Hall
218:Stockholm City Hall
78:, completed in 1812
787:The New York Times
633:Brussels Town Hall
258:municipal building
226:
211:
200:
181:
165:
146:
130:
115:
103:Fordwich Town Hall
95:
80:
72:New York City Hall
65:
1030:978-0-76-436049-7
1011:978-0-19-820230-1
937:(Subscription or
903:(Subscription or
617:Republic of Siena
609:Cologne City Hall
601:Palazzo Senatorio
587:erected communal
550:Early Middle Ages
456:England and Wales
379:, and elsewhere.
337:Guildhall, London
284:of a city, town,
57:Palazzo Senatorio
16:(Redirected from
1060:
1053:Local government
1034:
1015:
996:
984:
964:
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949:
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849:. Archived from
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795:
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778:
772:
771:
769:
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613:Palazzo Pubblico
583:, many European
373:Sydney Town Hall
359:(examples being
230:local government
138:Sydney Town Hall
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971:Further reading
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637:Rathaus, Vienna
621:Palazzo Vecchio
535:
349:
310:Christmas Peace
305:quality of life
264:) is the chief
122:Palazzo Vecchio
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749:(in Italian).
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662:
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644:public library
534:
531:
475:City of London
452:County Council
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445:North American
441:
357:United Kingdom
348:
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341:cultural icons
266:administrative
208:Recife, Brazil
26:
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760:9788854188075
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701:Barangay hall
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541:were used in
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222:Nobel Banquet
219:
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206:Town hall of
204:
197:
193:
189:
185:
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175:town hall in
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163:
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154:Old Town Hall
152:13th-century
150:
143:
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134:
127:
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113:in its design
112:
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101:16th-century
99:
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851:the original
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786:
776:
764:. Retrieved
745:
716:Town meeting
679:Town meeting
664:
655:vaccinations
652:
641:
597:
589:market halls
585:market towns
578:
566:manor houses
557:
547:
543:ancient Rome
536:
472:
450:
444:
426:
424:
384:municipality
381:
350:
347:Nomenclature
334:
302:
298:
278:town council
270:municipality
257:
253:
242:civic centre
241:
237:
233:
227:
220:, where the
198:in Malaysia.
88:fire station
920:"City Hall"
886:"town hall"
811:"city hall"
792:December 6,
706:Market hall
648:pipe organs
593:marketplace
562:feudal lord
460:county hall
410:in the UK.
388:city status
377:New Zealand
262:Philippines
111:market hall
1042:Categories
992:071000723X
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941:required.)
907:required.)
857:30 January
821:2010-05-19
727:References
554:great hall
527:Civic Hall
491:Nottingham
483:Birmingham
312:, such as
766:19 August
711:Moot hall
629:muniments
539:basilicas
523:Town Hall
515:City Hall
511:Town Hall
507:Sheffield
503:Town Hall
499:City Hall
479:Guildhall
420:City Hall
412:City Hall
369:Australia
254:guildhall
250:Australia
238:town hall
234:city hall
142:Australia
685:See also
669:to mean
661:Language
619:and the
487:Coventry
438:metonymy
396:Brisbane
260:(in the
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126:Florence
32:Townhall
667:metonym
623:of the
615:of the
574:palaces
570:castles
548:In the
533:History
495:Bristol
466:halls.
464:borough
408:Bristol
404:Norwich
400:Cardiff
330:Estonia
322:Finland
286:borough
177:Germany
173:Alsfeld
158:Wrocław
128:, Italy
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318:Porvoo
290:county
192:Penang
162:Poland
144:, 1901
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519:Leeds
326:Tartu
314:Turku
294:shire
282:mayor
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794:2013
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
