The Old Town Hall ("Altes Rathaus")

Over a century ago the building we now call the "Altes Rathaus" was known as the "Neue Rathaus", as can be seen from the street Neue Rathausstraße which runs past it on the side facing the river.

The Great Fire of Traben in 1879 sealed the fate of the wonderful mediaeval timbered town hall and bell tower situated on the marketplace. The construction of this - for the time rather oversized – Rathaus was viewed by the forward-thinking citizens of Traben as something of a fait accompli, since they expected the Prussian government to pursue the idea of Traben affiliating with Trarbach. With that it was intended not only that any future civic administration should be based in Traben, but also that the growing significance of Traben in the expanding wine trade during the late nineteenth century should be underpinned by establishing a wine trade and exhibition centre in this prestigious building.

It is therefore hardly surprising that a spacious wine cellar was installed below this new building. You descend seventeen steep steps at the east end to enter a cellar with a high groined vault supported by two massive square pillars. A tunnel vault leads off to the side, from which there is - as is the case with other cellars in Traben-Trarbach – a connecting passage to the cellar ensemble belonging nowadays to the Zunftweinscheune. This Rathaus cellar was used by Westermann & Werner until after the Second World War.