Built in 1422/23 as a sales hall and tax house, it was the wish of the town council that it should be as prestigious as possible. The stalls for bread and meat were situated in the large, double-span hall on the ground floor. The large Citizens’ Hall was situated on the upper floor, and even when it was built it was meant to be a meeting hall and dance hall. In 1665 the early-Baroque council chamber was separated on the south side. At that time death sentences were pronounced to the citizens from the window of the council chamber. Therefore the building also played a judicial role. The Renaissance façade, which was built in front of the north side between 1586 and 1589, is particularly noteworthy. Court architect Schickhardt designed a curved step-gable, bell-tower and an astronomical clock. Nowadays the Old Town Hall houses the Registry Office and it is here that the town council have their meetings. In 2011 the Festo Company installed an Astrolabe which can be seen during a guided tour organized by the Esslingen Stadtmarketing & Tourismus GmbH.
