City hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- For the 1996 film, see City Hall (film).
A city hall or town hall is the headquarters of a city or town's administration. The usual term in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand is 'town hall' or 'guildhall' (in the case of London's City Hall), the phrase is used as the building's proper name rather than as a generic term. However, Brisbane City is one example of an Australian council that has a "city hall". Another exception is that Birmingham Town Hall is a concert hall; the building which houses the city's administration is called the Council House. Both 'town hall' and 'city hall' are used in North America, usually depending on the size of the municipality they serve.
As important government buildings, many city halls are known for their distinctive architecture.
The expression 'city hall' can be used by metonymy for municipal government or for government in general, as in 'You can't fight city hall.'
The expression 'town hall' has more friendly connotations, often suggesting the town meeting form of government.
See also
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