UNESCO World Heritage: Town Hall and Roland Statue Bremen

Bremen's city hall and the Roland statue.

Bremen's pride and joy is its ensemble of the Town Hall and Roland, which has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage. Definitely worth a visit!

Bremen's Town Hall and Roland, apart from the Town Musicians, are two of Bremen's most famous sights that should not be missing on any bucket list for the Hanseatic city. The duo is beautifully presented on the north-east side of the market square and attracts numerous visitors every day. No wonder, after all, the ensemble is absolutely unique. That's why it has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List as a cultural monument since 2004, and rightly so. A notable detail: Bremen's town hall is the only town hall in the world to receive this honour.

Unique Examples of Democracy and Self-Determination

The Town Hall and Roland are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site because they represent the development of civic autonomy and sovereignty in a European urban society in an outstanding way. The Town Hall has been the seat of municipal self-government and state government since it was built in 1405, while Roland, dating from 1404, has always symbolised the rights and privileges of the Hanseatic city. At the same time, as part of Bremen's market square, they are incorporated into an impressive ensemble of monuments to the church, parliamentarianism, business and culture.

Ein Blick auf den Bremer Marktplatz mit Rathaus und Roland.

Information for People with Disabilities

A Look inside the Town Hall

As the seat of the state government, Bremen's Town Hall is not only an important place for political decisions. It is also open to all its guests - whether for Senate events, guided tours, exhibitions and markets in the Lower Town Hall Chamber or a visit to the unique Ratskeller (a wine cellar). You can even get married in this spectacular building.

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BremenGo - Augmented Reality App

Take a look behind the façade of the town hall and get an exclusive view into the Güldenkammer. Learn even more about Roland with a quiz. The Town Musicians become your personal tour guides!

The Roland Statue

In front of the town hall, Bremen's Roland proudly awaits you, the city's landmark and representative of its freedom since its construction. With its impressive overall height of 10.21 metres, Bremen's Roland is not only the largest free-standing statue of the German Middle Ages, it is also, according to UNESCO, the most beautiful Roland monument in the country in all its splendour. You're bound to notice its pointed knees. Or have you already discovered the "cripple" at his feet? If you want to know what this is all about and what else is worth knowing about the stone giant, then you should definitely read on in our article about Bremen's Roland.

Exciting Vault: the Bremen Ratskeller

The "delicious basement of the town hall" - Bremen's Ratskeller has this nickname for a reason. The vaults below the Liebfrauenkirchhof and the Domshof are not only home to one of Bremen's most traditional restaurants, but also to the world's largest selection of exclusively German wines. As part of Bremen's town hall, the Ratskeller is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and impresses with its over 600-year-old history. Find out more about the Bremen Ratskeller here.

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Guided visit to the Ratskeller (Groups)

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What does World Heritage mean?

UNESCO set itself a goal in 1972: to protect places, buildings and natural sites of exceptional significance and to preserve them for humanity. Bremen committed itself to precisely this when it signed the convention in 2004 and submitted a convincing conservation plan. For the coveted seal, one of the ten UNESCO criteria on the uniqueness and authenticity of a cultural monument must be met: City Hall and Roland have achieved it. The UNESCO World Heritage List currently comprises 1,052 World Heritage sites in 165 countries. In Germany, 41 sites are protected under the international agreement for the cultural and natural heritage of mankind. As a rule, UNESCO cannot provide financial support and can remove a World Heritage Site from the list in the event of a violation of the Convention. For detailed information, please visit the UNESCO website.