Rathaus

town hall

noun RAHT-hows Less Common

Also means

city hall

Usage Note

Rathaus comes from Rat ('council') plus Haus, the seat of the local council, not a 'rat house'. The plural mutates to Rathäuser, and the building is often the architectural centerpiece of a German town's market square.

Examples

"Das Rathaus steht am Marktplatz."

Natural Translation

The town hall stands on the market square.

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