[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern] [interactive map] [Town of Gnoien] [German]
Town hall in the Town of Gnoien The Town hall in Gnoien

A representative building, which in the past really was something to be proud of in the circle of town halls of other Mecklenburg country towns.
The saying, marked also over the door of the new town hall, fitted presumably after the great fire in 1710, tells about the life in our town.
Looking closer, every visitor will detect the greatest speciality of the town hall. At the new town hall, there are two municipal coats of arms. One the one hand, there is one high above the entrance. On the other hand, there is one, taken over from the predecessor building, and fitted at the southern side. For this phenomenon, we have the following explanation: A coat of arms was once needed for the new town hall and presumably a heraldry expert has been asked for advice. Otherwise one simply could have taken the coat of arms of the old town hall. Furthermore, another argument in favour of the co-operation of a heraldry expert is, that the new coat of arms shows the cloverleaf, and also the lily came back into the front field, like in the first coat of arms. Coat of arms, Town of Gnoien
The horn of the bull’s head, jutting out of the coat of arms shield, indicates a heraldic expert. According to ancient heraldry rules, two metal colours could not stand together or overlap. To give justice to this heraldic principle, he gave the advice to let the silver horn jut out of the golden background.
The town hall bears the date of 1898, it was officially opened, however, only on June 12th, 1899. In the local paper one could read the following:
"Gnoien, June 16th: At the 12th of the month the official opening of the hall of our town, newly constructed by Mr. Architect Eggers of the town of Güstrow, was officially opened.
Architect Eggers handed out the key of the new town hall to mayor Schmidt; this person opened the building by praying, that god may bless the entrance to the municipal administration and give that in the new house forever should be worked, negotiated, discussed and decided in unity to the honour and to the welfare of the town, the closer and further homeland and in never ending fidelity towards the royal house."