Old towns & squares

Legnica town hall

The neo-Renaissance seat of Legnica's city authorities, built in 1902–1905 to a design by building councillor Paul Öhlmann. The L-shaped building has five storeys, richly decorated gables and sculptures telling the story of the town.

The unfinished project

At the end of the 19th century, a growing Legnica needed a larger town hall. Öhlmann planned a four-wing complex with two inner courtyards and a monumental tower — but only the first stage was carried out, most likely for lack of funds. The tower never rose, and the completed wing still serves as the representative seat of the town authorities.

What the facades say

Knights bearing the coats of arms of Silesia, Legnica and Prussia stand on the pillars of the loggia. Above the fronton repeats the cartouche with two crossed keys, the city's coat of arms, and over it sits the figure of the Bohemian lion, Legnica's heraldic beast. The elevations are decorated with oriel windows, rustication and window frames; the sculptures on the northern oriel refer to the town's past, and the ridge carries a little turret topped by a helmet with two openwork bands.

Practical tips

The building works as a town hall, so visitors mostly admire it from the outside — allow 15–20 minutes for the facade details. Inside, the two-and-a-half-bay interiors are covered with barrel vaults with lunettes. The building was entered in the register of monuments on 14 April 1981, and a walk around the centre pairs well with the Old Town Hall, the castle and the cathedral.