Town hall in Moravská Třebová

The town hall in Moravská Třebová is one of the most recognizable buildings in this Czech town near the border of Bohemia and Moravia, known above all for its distinctive tower topped with an onion-shaped dome that rises above T. G. Masaryk Square.

How did the town hall get its current shape?

Originally, the town council worked out of an older, likely wooden building belonging to the local reeve. That changed after a major fire swept through the town in 1509, prompting a full rebuild of the center. Builder Hieronymus Bubenský raised the tower in 1521, and two years later completed the late-Gothic main body of the town hall itself. The building's luck with fire didn't hold, though — another blaze in 1541 damaged it so severely that only the ground floor of the original structure survived.

A thorough renovation didn't begin until the late 1550s, this time in a mature Renaissance style, and the work was finished in 1560. The building held its form for a long stretch after that, but the tower kept being the most vulnerable part of the complex. After yet another fire in 1726, the town hall stood in ruins for nearly four decades, until in 1764 a new octagonal upper section was raised above the rectangular Renaissance base.

Why is the tower so unusual?

The tower's most surprising feature is structural: despite its considerable height, it has no foundation of its own. Instead, it rests on the neighboring burgher houses — a solution rarely seen in buildings of this kind. The tower itself dates back to 1521, and in 1771 it was heightened further with a seven-sided upper section, giving it the final form still recognizable today, crowned by its onion dome.

This layered building history — two serious fires, decades spent in ruin, and successive reconstructions in shifting architectural styles — means the town hall blends Gothic and Renaissance elements, and its silhouette has become the town's defining symbol.

What is there to see on site?

The town hall stands at the very heart of Moravská Třebová, on a square that is itself one of the better-preserved historic urban layouts in the region. Visible from many points around town, the tower remains the main landmark for visitors — it's the shape most often featured on postcards and in descriptions of the town. It's worth noting the contrast between the massive, rectangular lower section and the lighter, octagonal upper structure — the result of several building phases spread across more than two and a half centuries.

A visit to the town hall pairs naturally with a walk around the surrounding square and the adjoining streets of the old town, where houses of a similar historical pedigree still stand — the very same buildings that, quite literally, support the tower's structure.

Frequently asked questions

When was the town hall tower built? The tower was raised in 1521, and it received its final octagonal form in 1771, following an earlier extension added in 1764.

Why does the tower have no foundation? Due to an unusual structural solution, the tower rests on the neighboring burgher houses instead of standing on its own foundation.

What caused the building's current mixed style? Successive fires — in 1541 and 1726 — forced rebuilding in the architectural styles prevailing at each time, which is why the town hall combines late-Gothic and Renaissance elements.

Where exactly is the town hall located? The building stands on the main square of Moravská Třebová, in the historic center of the town.