Umeå Town Hall 2.06

Umeå Town Hall was built after the fire in 1888 that burnt the city to the ground. It was erected on the site where the previous town hall had been located and was completed in 1890. The architect was Fredrik Olaus Lindström from Stockholm. In the new urban area development plan Lindström gave the town hall a prominent location next to the river bank, with the main facade facing south over the harbour on the Ume River .HistoryFirst town hallDuring the 17th century, Umeå only had a few public buildings; the church, the school and the town hall. The town hall was on the north of the Rådhustorget (the Town Hall Square), and housed the judiciary, the city administration and other common functions. The town hall was a single-storey building, equipped with three windows facing the square and with a high hipped gable roof topped with a roof lantern.Second town hallDuring the Great Northern War the town was completely burned down by the Russians several times, but after the peace in 1721 a new town hall was built at the north end of the Town Hall Square. The new town hall consisted of two floors with two wings and a small tower with a clock and striking clock. In the ground floor the city cellar was located, that is a tavern or restaurant, and a debtor's prison. Upstairs there was a ballroom and a smaller hall for meetings. The west wing had two rooms which served as teaching facilities.