A probably Romanesque stone building stood here by 1229. The Gothic town hall was planned and built around 1400, a rectangular two-story hall measuring 136 by 52 feet (41.5 by 15.8 m). It is brick Gothic.
The mason Lüder von Bentheim transformed it in the late 16th century. Windows were changed from 1595 to 1596, and the facade was remodeled from 1608 to 1612 in the Weser Renaissance, with Flemish gables. A Baroque rear office followed in 1682 and 1683. The Gothic facade keeps 16 large sculptures of emperors and prince-electors, and a Roland statue stands in front of the building.
The Golden Chamber was added in 1608 and redecorated in 1905 by Heinrich Vogeler in Art Nouveau style. UNESCO listed the town hall and the Roland in 2004.
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