Town Hall in Aš

The town hall in Aš stands on Husova Square and is one of the few Baroque buildings the town has managed to preserve despite repeated fires over the centuries. It still serves as the seat of the municipal office today, although the structure went through several major rebuilds before reaching its current form.

Where did the current town hall come from?

The original town hall burned down in 1696, along with most of the town, in a fire that destroyed the greater part of Aš's built-up area. The building rebuilt after that disaster was very modest and fell far short of the ambitions of the local estate owners, the House of Zedtwitz. It was they who decided to commission a representative new seat of municipal government, entrusting the design to the Cheb-based architect Angelo Pfeffer. The new Baroque town hall was completed in 1733, and it is this building — after further alterations — that still stands in Aš today.

How did the building change over the years?

The history of the Aš town hall is largely a history of rebuilding after misfortune. In 1814 the building burned down again. Reconstruction followed quickly, in 1815–16, restoring the original proportions of the structure but changing the shape of the roof from a hip roof to a gable roof. Another significant change came in 1885, when a second floor was added to meet the growing space needs of the city administration. This extension gave officials more room to work and brought the building closer to the form it has today.

What else did the town hall house besides administration?

The building has not always served purely administrative functions. Between 1958 and 1966 it housed the town museum, presenting the history and traditions of the region. After the exhibition closed, the building was taken over by the town library, which operated there until 2002. This period shows how flexibly the town hall's space was used depending on the town's needs — moving from administration to culture and education.

What happened to it in recent years?

In 2002 the entire building underwent a thorough reconstruction, restoring its representative character and adapting the interior to modern standards. A year later, in 2003, the municipal office returned to the building, and it has operated there ever since. Thanks to this renovation, the town hall has kept its historic Baroque character while continuing to serve as a fully functional seat of local administration.

Frequently asked questions

Can the town hall in Aš be visited? The building functions as the municipal office, so access to the interior is mainly limited to the section handling administrative matters for residents. The façade itself and Husova Square, where the town hall stands, are freely accessible to everyone.

How many times has the town hall been rebuilt? The building burned down at least twice, in 1696 and in 1814. Each time it was rebuilt, and the 1815–16 reconstruction along with the 1885 addition of a second floor shaped the appearance it has today.

Who designed the current town hall? The Baroque building completed in 1733 was designed by the Cheb architect Angelo Pfeffer, commissioned by the House of Zedtwitz, owners of the Aš estate.

What functions did the town hall serve besides local administration? Between 1958 and 1966 it housed the town museum, and afterward, until 2002, the town library.