Federal Hall was the site of George Washington’s inauguration as first president of the United States, where the Bill of Right was ratified and the place where newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger was tried and acquitted of libel for exposing government corruption, thus affirming the notion of freedom of the press.
These events took place in the first incarnation of Federal Hall, which was built in 1700. Federal Hall hosted the Stamp Act Congress, which assembled in October 1765 to protest “taxation without representation.” After the American Revolution, the Continental Congress met at City Hall and, in 1787, adopted the Northwest Ordinance, establishing procedures for creating new states.
When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, New York remained the national capital. Pierre L’Enfant was commissioned to remodel the City Hall for the new federal government. The First Congress met in the now Federal Hall and wrote the Bill of Rights. George Washington was inaugurated here as the country’s first President on April 30, 1789.
When the capital moved to Philadelphia in 1790, the building again housed city government until 1812, when Federal Hall was demolished and replaced with the current structure in 1842. At the time, it served as the first US Customs House before becoming home to a branch of the US sub-treasury.
Now known as the Federal Hall National Memorial, the site serves as a museum of its history and that of George Washington. Amongst its exhibits, Federal Hall displays the George Washington inaugural bible, a slab of the original inaugural balcony and a portrait gallery of the first president. There is also an exhibit dedicated to the freedom of the press.
Since the block of Wall Street from Broadway to William Street is pedestrian-only, the best way to get to Federal Hall is by foot or by subway (2, 3, 4, 5 to Wall Street, J or Z trains to the Broad Street station, 1 or R trains to Rector Street, A or C trains to Fulton Street).
]]>However, the Feldherrnhalle took on further symbolic duty under the Nazis when in 1933 it was the site of a short conflict ending in Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch. From then on, Feldherrnhalle was the site of many Nazi parades including an annual celebration.
The Feldherrnhalle was first built between 1841 and 1844 on the command of King Ludwig I of Bavaria as a symbol of the honours of the Bavarian Army. The structure replaced a former Gothic style gate and instead reflected the more fashionable Italian taste of the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence.
Representing Bavarian military might were 2 statues: leaders Johann Tilly and Karl Philipp von Wrede, the first who led Bavarians in the Thirty Years’ War and the second against Napoleon. Another sculpture was added in 1892 to mark the French defeat and German unification, as well as several Medici lions added in 1906.
It was also here on 9 November 1923 that Adolph Hitler had been part of a clash between Bavarian State Police and the Nazi Party SA which ended the infamous Beer Hall Putsch – a failed coup attempt. As a result, Hitler was arrested and sentence to prison, during which he wrote ‘Mein Kampf’.
Under Hitler, the Feldherrnhalle became home to a monument, called the Mahnmal der Bewegung, to his comrades who died that night. The structure was always guarded by the SS and was square was used for SS parades and became the site of oath ceremonies for new recruits.
After the war, Feldherrnhalle was restored to its pre-Nazi appearance. In 1995, a veteran committed self-immolation in front of Feldherrnhalle to protest what he saw as the continued “demonisation of the German people and German soldiers”.
Today, the open hall continues to face the square and displays the monuments to the Bavarian military. Watching the square with idle tourists, it is hard to imagine the space full of parading SS recruits.
You might notice that behind Feldherrnhalle is a lavish palace, in front of which is a small lane which has been nicknamed ‘Drückebergergasse meaning ‘shirker’s lane’. This small detour provided a small act of resistance for those unwilling to salute the Feldherrnhalle – a Nazi expectation for all passing by.
Situated opposite the beautiful Theatine Church, Feldherrnhalle is easily found on foot or via public transport. The subway services U3, U4, U5 and U6 all stop at Odeonsplatz just by the Feldherrnhalle, as well as buses 100, 153, N40, N41 and N45.
]]>Whilst the majority of people who worked in the Medival Period were peasants, a significant community of merchants and tradesmen existed, the majority of whom belonged to one of the most powerful and influential groups in medieval Europe – the Guilds.
Guilds were associations of artisans and merchants who oversaw the practice of their craft or trade in a particular area. They were able to command prestige and power over medieval populations and membership of these organisations was extremely desirable.
The The Worshipful Company of Grocers, otherwise known as the Grocers’ Guild, which oversaw the trade in spices (one of the most expensive and important commodities in the Middle Ages) was an incredibly rich and powerful association as is very apparent by the opulence and grandour of Grocers’ Hall in London.
The Company was founded in the 14th Century as the Guild of Pepperers, which dates from 1180. The Company was responsible for maintaining standards for the purity of spices and for the setting of certain weights and measures. Its members included London’s pharmacists, who separated into the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries in 1617.
The guild was known as the Company of Grossers from 1373 until 1376 when it was renamed the Company of Grocers of London. In 1428, two years after founding its first hall in Old Jewry, the Company was granted a Royal Charter by King Henry VI. It is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, ranking second in the Companies order of precedence after the Mercers’ Company.
Grocers’ Hall has managed to adapt to the challenges and changes in City life throughout its 600 year history. Over this time, Grocers’ Hall has seen plagues, the Great Fire of London, two World Wars and a fire that destroyed the Hall in 1965.
Today, the Grocers’ Company exists as a charitable, constitutional and ceremonial institution which plays a significant role in the election of the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs of the City of London. The Company’s motto is “God Grant Grace”. The Company also maintains banquet and conference facilities at Grocers’ Hall in Prince’s Street, next to the Bank of England.
Grocers’ Hall is a venue that offers a flexible range of spaces for all types of corporate events; from Lunch Presentations, Conferences and Seminars.
Grocers’ Hall is situated in the heart of the City of London in a private courtyard opposite the Bank of England, a 1-minute walk to Bank Underground Station. Taking public transport is advised as parking around this location is extremely limited.
]]>After the old city hall was destroyed in the great fire of 1842, it took 55 years for the new Hamburg City Hall (Rathaus) to open. The present building was built between 1886-1897, at a cost of 11 million German gold marks (about €80 million). It reopened on 26 October 1897 when the First Mayor Johannes Versmann received the key.
It has 647 rooms and stands on over 4,000 oak piles. Unlike the usual restrained Hanseatic style, the building has an elaborate façade, flanked by a total of 20 statues of emperors. In the Senate chamber, there is a large glass roof, symbolising an ancient Germanic custom that the council meets in the open air.
The imperial hall is named the Kaisersaal, after the visit by Kaiser Wilhelm II at the opening of the North Sea-Baltic Canal. There is also a Grand Ballroom (46 metres long, 18 metres wide and 15 metres high) housing paintings depicting the history of Hamburg from 800-1900, and 62 city coats of arms of the old Hanseatic League.
In the postwar period, various heads of state visited Hamburg and its City Hall including Queen Elizabeth II in 1965.
In 1971, a room in the tower was discovered accidentally during a search for a document that had fallen behind a filing cabinet, raising the possibility that there are even more rooms than the current count of 647.
The City Hall is the seat of the government of Hamburg – one of Germany’s 16 state parliaments. Parliament meets in the debating chamber every second Tuesday at 3pm.
Many fairs, concerts and celebrations in Hamburg happen outside the City Hall in the Rathausmarkt square (such as those of Hamburger SV as German football champions back in 1983) as well as the city’s famed Christmas markets which fill the square each year.
There is also a local tradition where unmarried men sweep the steps outside the City Hall on their 30th birthday.
The Rathaus is located in the Altstadt quarter in the city center, at the Rathausmarkt square, and near the lake Binnenalster and the central station. The closest accessible station is U-Bahn to ‘Jungfernstieg (U2/U4)’, or take a bus to ‘Rathaus’.
]]>Against the backdrop of the American Revolution beginning in 1776, plans for a new City Hall were being discussed by the city council. However, the financial restraints of war paused the project. A site was chosen at the old Common in the north of New York, originally an area for the first almshouse in 1653. After American Independence, in 1802 a competition was held for the new hall; first prize was $350 and awarded to Joseph-Francois Mangin and John McComb Jr.
Mangin, had studied architecture in France before becoming city surveyor, while McComb had designed Castle Clinton and supervised the construction. The cornerstone was laid in May 1803, and brownstone was used to lower building costs. The building was adorned by Massachusetts marble facade, replaced later by Alabama limestone. Labour disputes and yellow fever slower construction, but it was dedicated in 1812 as the US once again went to war.
New York City Hall has been the site of various historic events of note since its completion, including: the New York Police Riot in 1857 as municipal police fought the Metropolitan police who were trying to arrest then mayor Fernando Wood; in 2003 the City Hall was the site of assassination as Othniel Askew shot City Councilman James E. Davis.
In 2008 the building saw restoration work both to the interior and exterior, costing $150 million and taking five years.
Today you can walk up the steps of New York City Hall where the policemen rioted, standing to look back at the beautiful City Hall Park and the impressive Brooklyn Bridge. The park is a great spot to admire the architecture and watch both pigeons and people pass. Visitors are able to take a free tour on a Wednesday at noon, and inside can view the day to day running of the city that never sleeps, along with an impressive collection of 19th century American paintings.
When using the New York subway, go to stops City Hall on R line or Park Place on the shuttle service, both a 3 minute walk to City Hall. Otherwise head for the Brooklyn Bridge on foot and you will not miss City Hall.
]]>Today, the Norwich Guildhall is the largest remaining civic building outside of London and is open to the public.
By the 15th century, Norwich had become of the England’s most important and wealthiest towns. Following a 1404 charter by Henry IV giving the city powers of self-governance, the guildhall was built to administer the city better between 1407 and 1412.
The new guildhall’s role was similar to a town hall: serving multiple purposes such as a court, tax collection hub and administrative centre. The guildhall also boasted a sword room for storing weapons and a council assembly chamber for meetings, as well as holding prisoners. In 1531, the Christian martyr Thomas Bilney was held in the dungeon before being burnt at the stake.
A large clock was gifted to the guildhall in 1850 by then mayor, Henry Woodstock which has undergone several restorations since. Norwich Guildhall was the centre of the city’s government until its replacement by City Hall in 1938.
Norwich Guildhall’s characteristic flint exterior remains a bastion of the city’s medieval independence and wealth, sat on Gaol Hill. The Grade I listed building is open for booking free guided tours which last about an hour, or you can explore the guildhall history on one of the Heritage Open Days – run every September – that gives visitors a sneaky special look inside Norwich’s medieval past.
The Norwich Guildhall is also home to an escape room and restaurant.
Located in the city centre, the Norwich Guildhall is easily found on foot. Via public transport, buses 501 and 502 both stop at Castle Meadow Stop CW, a 5 minute walk from the guildhall. For drivers, there are many car parks dotted around Norwich Guildhall which is found just off the A147 from the A11, A140 and A47.
]]>The Palais was built between 1929 and 1938 after a competition was held for its design. It was built to serve as the headquarters of the League of Nations, and at the time of its completion, it was the second-largest building complex in Europe after Versailles. It overlooks Lake Geneva and has a clear view of the French Alps.
The Palais des Nations in Geneva has been the official European headquarters of the United Nations since 1966 – second in importance only to New York. Prior to this, the Palais des Nations was originally home to the League of Nations, leading to it also being known as the Volkerbund or ‘League of Nations’ Palace.
Now at a length of some 600 metres, the grand Palais des Nations is where one finds several important elements of the UN, including its Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and Human Rights Council.
The facility is an outstanding testimony to 20th century architecture. Situated in the beautiful Ariana park, it is a popular tourist site both for its historical and political significance and for its scenery.
Guided and thematic tours of the Palais des Nations are available to the general public, who can see important places such as its 2,000-seater assembly hall – the largest room in the palace – and the Council Chamber, as well as learning about the history and role of the UN.
From the centre of Geneva, the Palais des Nations is a 9 minute drive via Rue de Montbrillant. Equally, Geneva’s extensive public transport system has frequent buses which depart from Cornavin and take around 6 minutes to reach the Appia stop, after which it is a 4 minute walk to the Palais des Nations. From the city centre, the Palais is a 35-40 minute walk via Rue de Montbrillant.
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