StandortStechbahn 1
City Hall
Time and again it came to disputes between the old and new town, so that in 1377 the decision was made to unite the two cities. The result of this union was the shared city hall placed exactly on the border between the old and new town. The fifth stone house was built. Unfortunately, it was almost completely destroyed by the large smut in 1664. Only the outside walls and a gothic stair gable are conserved. It was scantily rebuilt. Extensive renovations were being made between 1702 and 1706.
In 1929/30 the historic city hall was given its present appearance. At this time, an ambulatory was built and the hall was redecorated.
Till this day the detailed window designs of the hall´s north portal with the emblem of Waldeck have not been discovered by many local citizens.
In 1937 Roland of Korbach was put in a niche of the city hall´s north side. The Roland figure of 1450, a symbol of municipal jurisdiction and market power, in the past stood on the old town´s market place, until it disappeared unperceivedly in a niche of the Kilian portal after a dispute with the Count`s sovereignty at the beginning of the 17th century for almost 300 years.
Only in 1937 it was rediscovered due to old documents and was erected on the north side of the city hall.
Roland of Korbach is dressed like a knight. He holds a blood flag in his right hand, a national emblem that expresses that Korbach´s judges could decide over life and death. In his left hand he holds the targe, a shield to protect the waist. The expression Roland comes from the old German language ("Roteland") and means "old place of jurisdiction".
The original today is located in the city
hall foyer under conservatory viewpoints.
In 1970 the city hall building was extended considerably and a front square was put up. The city hall stands for an alternating city's history, but above all it is a symbol of reasonable agreement and cooperation.
© Nele Friedrich/ M. Möller
Literatur:
Hans Osterhold: Meine Stadt. Korbacher Bauten erzählen Stadtgeschichte, hrsg. vom Magistrat der Kreisstadt Korbach, 3. Aufl., Korbach 2004.
Ein Rundgang durch die alte Stadt, bearb. von Ursula Wolkers, hrsg. vom Wilhelm Bing Verlag und Magistrat der Stadt Korbach mit Förderung der Sparkassenstiftung Waldeck-Frankenberg, Korbach 1999.