Duderstadt's historic town hall is one of the oldest and most beautiful in Germany. Today a complex of buildings from different eras, its origins lie in the Middle Ages. Between 1302 and 1539, it grew into an impressive multi-purpose building. Once built as a "Kophus" (department store), it served as a marketplace for merchants and was the center of civic life.

The three-tower half-timbered construction made of oak rests on a solid base of light-colored sandstone. The core building was constructed around 1302, the south wing in 1432, the arcade and half-timbering around 1530 and the Renaissance staircase in 1673/74. Despite this long building history, the town hall gives the impression of rare unity and harmony.

From 2012, a media redesign will enable visitors to take an exciting journey back in time to old Duderstadt! Reward yourself at the beginning of the exhibition with an impressive, far-reaching view over the roofs of the town from the highest of the three town hall towers. 

The colony of greater mouse-eared bats living in the roof truss in summer gives you a small, very private insight into their habitat via a live cam. You will find more exciting information about the protected mouse-eared bats up close, albeit as a specimen, later on in the exhibition.

From the bats, the tour takes you through a total of nine exhibition levels and deep into the vaulted cellars. Accompanied by exciting stories and special exhibits from medieval Duderstadt and the period when the town hall was built. Find out about the town's defense and the festive culture of the Duderstadt shooting society, the salt chamber where the "white gold" was once stored, the former court and prison cells, the council wine cellar where secret meetings of the councillors took place or the torture chamber where the "riff-raff" were subjected to the so-called "embarrassing question". There really is a lot to discover within these old walls. The tour ends back at the starting point of the short journey through time, the former "Kophus", which also houses the guest information desk.