Attraction in Olsztyn

New Town Hall (Nowy Ratusz), Olsztyn

Olsztyn's Neo-Renaissance New Town Hall, opened in 1916, is the seat of the city's municipal authorities and one of its most recognisable public buildings, known for a trumpet hejnał that plays the city anthem at noon.

Reviewed and updated July 2026

New Town Hall (Nowy Ratusz), Olsztyn — Photo: Dawid Galus / CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, via Wikimedia Commons

The New Town Hall (Nowy Ratusz) is Olsztyn's Neo-Renaissance municipal building, opened in 1916 and still the working seat of the city's authorities. People stop here for its monumental facade, the five allegorical sculptures that decorate it, and a trumpet hejnał that plays the Olsztyn city anthem every day at noon, all within easy walking distance of Jana Pawła II Square in the city centre.

The facade and its allegorical figures

The building's exterior is its main draw, designed in a Neo-Renaissance style that signalled the ambitions of a growing early twentieth-century city. Five allegorical sculptures are set into the facade, the kind of civic symbolism common on public buildings of the period. Look up as you pass and try to be nearby at noon, when the trumpet hejnał rings out the city anthem across the surrounding streets.

Why it was built

Olsztyn's medieval Old Town Hall had simply become too small for a city that was expanding beyond its original core. The cornerstone for a larger, purpose-built seat of government was laid in 1912, and the completed New Town Hall opened its doors in 1916. More than a century later it still houses the municipal authorities, which is why it counts among the most recognisable public buildings in the city.

Practical notes for visitors

This is a functioning administrative building rather than a museum, so most people experience it from the outside as part of a walk through the centre. The exterior, the sculptures and the daily hejnał can be enjoyed for free at any time. If you want to see any interior spaces or check access, confirm details through the city's official channels before you go.

Fitting it into a day in Olsztyn

Its position in the city centre near Jana Pawła II Square makes the New Town Hall an easy addition to a wider stroll rather than a destination in itself. Pair a look at the facade with the older streets and squares nearby, timing your visit for around midday to catch the trumpet hejnał. For ideas on what else to see across the city, see our Olsztyn guide.

Good to know

Time your walk past for noon, when the trumpet hejnał plays the Olsztyn city anthem; the facade and sculptures can be seen from the street for free at any time.

Frequently asked questions

Its cornerstone was laid in 1912 and the building opened in 1916, constructed because the medieval Old Town Hall had become too small for the growing city.

It is the working seat of Olsztyn's municipal authorities rather than a museum, so most visitors see it from the outside. Check the city's official channels for any interior access.

A trumpet fanfare (hejnał) that plays the Olsztyn city anthem every day at noon, which is one of the building's best-known features.

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