Cincinnati City Hall

Proud to call this Richardsonian masterpiece our own!
Local Architect Samuel Hannaford spent part of the late 1800’s designing a castle for the residents of Cincinnati to call City Hall. The well-​maintained City Hall building is as beautiful today as ever.
Now if we could only do something about the people in it.

Although I have lived in Cincinnati all my life, I never had a real reason to visit City Hall until recently and was really unsure of what to expect upon my arrival. However, I must say I was pleasantly surprised with my visit!
As has been mentioned, City Hall is located on Plum and if you aren’t familiar with the area, I could see it being hard to find. The outside of the building itself is very beautiful, and almost reminiscent of Music Hall and many of the cities older establishments. Although the inside seemed a bit dark, the cooler air and friendly faces of the greeters were more than welcoming, especially on the hot summer I day I visited.
Chances are, City Hall is worth more than three stars, but truth be told, I didn’t get much of a chance to explore the inside. I would love to come back on a tour and give it the attention it deserves. If you are visiting Cincinnati however, it is definitely worth a walk by, especially due to its proximity to the Plum Street Temple, and Music Hall.

City Hall is an beautiful old building semi-​tucked away on Plum. But once you get close, there’s no way to miss it.
Built by Samuel Hannaford 1888, it’s a towering structure that has a castle-​like feel to it (of course, the giant steeple turret and stonework would make anything look like castle.) Hannaford also designed Music Hall and the observatory, so if you’ve seen either of those, picture the grand design and you’ve got City Hall.
Walking through the building can be a little confusing. Things aren’t easily marked and it can be a little daunting to even get through those giant doors. Still, I’ve always found the staff to be friendly and they’ll direct you where to go once you ask.
It’s beautiful decorated inside. Dark and peaceful. The whole building has this sense of quiet power wherever you go. It’s tremendous really.
Street parking only and because it’s downtown, it may be hard to find (and once you do, it’s expensive as hell. Like $ 2 for an hour! Ugh.)
Overall, I love this place. It’s just another place that makes Cincinnati stand out and shine.

Tip: if you turn at the street just past the building, you might luck out with meter parking.
Theres a nice greeter to help direct you, and sign you in. The mayors office is to the left, everyone else seems to be upstairs. Don’t be afraid to ask where to go, the staff with help. And the main door is the only one to go in and out of.