Modern town halls or "civic centres" are often designed with a great variety and flexibility of purpose in mind. These may include art shows, stage performances, exhibits and festivals. In many cases, "town halls" serve not only as buildings for government functions, but also have facilities for various civic and cultural activities. The local government may endeavor to use the building to promote and enhance the quality of life of the community. The terms "council chambers", "municipal building" or variants may be used locally in preference to "town hall" if no such large hall is present within the building. This large chamber, the "town hall" (and its later variant "city hall") has become synonymous with the whole building, and with the administrative body housed in it. The hall may be used for council meetings and other significant events. Other terms in non-English languages are Mairie or Hôtel de ville ( France), Gemeindehaus or Rathaus ( Germany), Rådhus ( Denmark), Paços do Concelho ( Portugal) and Stadshus ( Sweden).īy convention, until the middle of the 19th century, a single large open chamber (or "hall") formed an integral part of the building housing the council.
It also usually functions as the base of the mayor of a city, town, borough, county or shire. It usually houses the city or town council, its associated departments, and their employees. In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. The two-tower town hall in Szprotawa Poland, with a leaning tower