Town Hall in Łowicz

Ratusz w Łowiczu occupies the northern side of Stary Rynek and has served as the seat of city authorities for nearly two hundred years. The Neoclassical building neighbours the Brama Prymasowska [Primate's Gate] and the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nicholas, together forming the historic centre of Łowicz.

When the building was constructed

Construction of the town hall began in 1825 and was completed three years later, in 1828. The design was prepared by Bonifacy Witkowski, giving the building a form typical of early 19th-century Neoclassicism.

What it looks like

The town hall is a rectangular, brick building with two storeys, decorated with Corinthian pilasters and crowned with a clock tower. This arrangement of the façade, with its columned order and symmetrical composition, was characteristic of public utility buildings erected during this period in the Kingdom of Poland.

Frieze in the council chamber

On the first floor, in the council chamber, there is an ornamental frieze painted in 1918 by Józef Lamparsky. It depicts the coats of arms of thirty-two former voivodeships of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, as well as portraits of historical figures connected with Polish history.

Protection and renovation

The building was entered in the register of monuments on 5 March 1947. Between 1997 and 1998 it underwent a major renovation, which made it possible to preserve the Neoclassical structure and interior décor. A commemorative plaque was placed on the façade of the town hall to mark the visit of Tadeusz Kościuszko to Łowicz in 1790.

Location on the square

The town hall stands opposite the patrician townhouse and other historic buildings surrounding Stary Rynek, near the Museum in Łowicz. It is one of the points from which a walk through the historic city centre naturally begins.

Practical information

• Address: Stary Rynek 1, Łowicz.
• Getting there: on foot in the city centre, the building stands on Stary Rynek.
• What to expect: seat of city authorities, the building is viewed mainly from the outside, access to the interior during office hours.