Szczecinek Town Hall

Every day at noon a bugle call rings out from the tower of Szczecinek Town Hall – an excerpt from Henryk Łabęda's song "Powróciłaś do nas ziemio" ("You Have Returned to Us, Land"), played from loudspeakers on all four sides of the tower since 1978. The building on Wolności Square (Liberty Square) dates from 1852, and its brick tower with battlements is the most recognisable landmark in the town centre.

History and architecture

Szczecinek was founded in 1310 by Duke Wartislaw IV as "New Szczecin", on a narrow, easily defended strip of land between Lakes Trzesiecko and Wielimie. The present town hall was built more than five centuries later, when the town was known by its German name, Neustettin. It is a two-storey red-brick building on a rectangular plan, eclectic in style but dominated by neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic forms. On the main façade, a projecting bay rises into an octagonal tower, topped by a square upper stage bearing a plaque with the year of construction and the town's coat of arms. The gables of the building and the tower are crowned by a crenellated parapet on an arcaded cornice, and polygonal turrets with lanterns stand at the corners. The hipped roof is covered in red tiles, giving the whole building a uniform brick-red look.

What to look out for

• The plaque on the tower with the date 1852 and Szczecinek's coat of arms.
• A plaque commemorating the flood of 1888 on one of the walls.
• Stained-glass windows in the council chamber, made – according to the regional tourism portal – by the Berlin artist Bosh.
• A small inner courtyard with a glass roof.
• The noon bugle call – time your walk so you are on the square at 12:00.

Tripto tip

The town hall is the seat of the municipal authorities, so you can admire it from outside at any time, while the interior is accessible like any public office, during working hours. The best view of the tower, parapet and corner turrets is from Wolności Square. 15–20 minutes is enough to see the building. Combine it with a walk along Lake Trzesiecko, on whose shore the town lies.