Głogówek Town Hall

From the tower of this town hall a watchman once announced the hours and important news with a trumpet, and in 1625 soldiers passing through the town shot the ball on its tip through in three places. The Renaissance town hall in Głogówek, built in 1608, stands in the middle of the market square of one of the more interesting small towns in the Opole region. Its octagonal tower with a gallery and the ornate gable with scrolls can be seen from afar, and Baroque statues of saints stand on its corners.

History of the town hall

The first town hall, used mainly for trade, stood here by the mid-14th century; the cellars of that Gothic building survive. The present building dates from 1608, and in 2008 the town celebrated its 400th anniversary. In 1659–1660 the tower, damaged by Swedish troops, was repaired. In 1774 the façade was decorated with paintings and stucco, and stone statues of St Florian and St John of Nepomuk by Johann Schubert were placed on the southern corners. In 1880 the building was restored in the historicist style. In 1945 it partly burned and was rebuilt in 1955–1957. Today it houses the town council offices.

What to see

• The south gable, the most decorative part of the building, with Renaissance scrolls and obelisk pinnacles.
• The octagonal tower with a metal gallery and a cupola topped by a double lantern.
• The statues of St Florian and St John of Nepomuk from 1774 on the corners.
• The weathervane with a star, the town's coat of arms and the dates 1608 and 1775.
• The market square with its town houses and a 17th-century Marian column.

Interesting facts

Documents were kept inside the ball on top of the tower. When it was taken down after the shooting in 1625, it held a document ruined by damp, a small gold cross and an Agnus Dei; new documents were added, and the ball was regilded in 1653. In 1669 a fire bell cast by a local founder was hung on the town hall. Until July 1836 the Protestants of Głogówek held their services on the second floor. The vaulted council chamber has a cycle of seven frescoes from 1942 showing the town's history, but it is not open to visitors.

Tripto tip

You can view the town hall from the square at any time, free of charge; 15–20 minutes is enough for photos and a walk round. It is a working town hall (Rynek 1), so the interiors and tower are not open to visitors. The best shot of the south gable with its statues is from the southern side of the square. Głogówek lies about 50 km south of Opole, a few kilometres from the Czech border; driving is the easiest option. A few minutes' walk from the square is the Oppersdorff Castle, where Ludwig van Beethoven stayed in 1806, and the town also has the collegiate church of St Bartholomew and the Franciscan church with its Holy House of Loreto. Moszna Castle is about 15 km away.