The Historical Town Hall

 

The historical Town Hall located at the marketplace plays a dominant role. It has documented the powerful self-pride of Lingen during the past centuries. It is a small town hall with a floor-area of 104 square meters. However, it still dominates the marketplace. The original Town Hall was probably destroyed during the big town blaze of 1548. On one hand the Town Hall of Lingen includes a gable and an original open event arcade. It belongs to a wide spread type of architecture in North-West Germany. On the other hand it has a close connection to the Renaissance of the Netherlands because of the massively built flighted-gable.

Until the beginning of the 17th century the courts held their sessions in closed halls. In 1663 the session room was moved to the upper floor and an attractive staircase was added. It now was possible to announce the verdicts from there. In the now vacant hall in the basement a guard room, two cells and the public weigh-bridge were installed. The coat of arms of the city of Lingen was inserted above the door in the gable and the anchor irons were located at the height of the main cornice from the year 1663. Substantial restoration and reconstructions were completed in 2001. Since that time the landmark of Lingen has offered adequate facilities for ceremonial occasions as well as for town hall weddings.

 

 

The Glockenspiel and figures donated by the Kivelinge were placed in the Tower. Every third year on Whitsunday the Kivelinge hand over, when celebrating their Kivelingfest, a present to the city of Lingen. In 1952 the present was the Glockenspiel for the historical Town Hall.

It was on Whitsunday, in 2002, 50 years later, when this particular Glockenspiel was completed with figures presented by the Kivelinge.

You can see a drummer, the royal couple of the Kivelinge, a commander, a mayor, a flagbearer, a 'Bürgertochter' (daughter of the bourgeoisie) and the Kiveling. The Glockenspiel comes out and sounds daily at 12:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.