This is the seat of the Senate (goverment) and the Parliament of Hamburg. A visit to the City Hall is very worthwhile. Inside there are impressive columns, a 50 m long hall with huge paintings of the former mayors and other interesting details. The City Hall was completed in 1897 after the old town hall was badly damaged in the great Hamburg fire in 1842. Due to the nature of the building site, situated in a swampy area, the current City Hall was built on 4,000 oak piles to ensure its stability.

In the courtyard of the City Hall is the Hygieia fountain, in the middle of which a female bronze figure is emblazoned. This stands for health and is reminiscent of the last major cholera epidemic in Hamburg city in the 19th century.