Cities & Culture

Old Town Hall with Imperial Diet Document Collection Regensburg

The Old Town Hall was the beating heart of the Free Imperial City of Regensburg for centuries. From the 17th to 19th centuries, it served as a meeting place for the Perpetual Imperial Diet, regarded as a forerunner to the United Nations.

The Old Town Hall, with its tower stretching up 55 metres into the sky, was home to the city council and administration at the heart of Regensburg's Old Town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The courts were also located here, complete with the jail and torture chamber in the basement. The Perpetual Imperial Diet met here too between 1663 and 1806, bringing the major players in German and European politics at the time to Regensburg and serving as a forerunner to the German Parliaments, the European Union and even the United Nations.

The atmosphere of the former Imperial Diet can still be felt in the Imperial Hall and conference rooms. Lots of little details from the past have been retained, including a clock without a minute hand reflecting the understanding of time back in the day. A fascinating permanent exhibition delivers background information on the structure of the Imperial Diet and how it all worked, taking visitors down into the medieval torture chamber. Opening times: can only be visited as part of a guided tour

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