Nottingham Council House, Nottingham, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Nottingham Council House is the domed civic building on the north side of Old Market Square in the centre of Nottingham. Built in the late 1920s in a grand classical style, it is the city's best-known meeting point and the backdrop to much of its public life.

The story behind it

The Council House was designed by the architect Thomas Cecil Howitt and completed at the end of the 1920s as the home of Nottingham's city council. Faced in pale stone and topped with a copper-green dome, it was meant to show the confidence of a prosperous industrial city, and it still dominates the square in front of it.

Two stone lions guard the front steps. Locals call them Leo and Oska, and "meet at the left lion" is the everyday way to arrange a rendezvous in Nottingham. The building also holds a great bell known as Little John, which strikes the hours over the square.

What to look for

• The dome rises above a columned portico, and it is best appreciated from the far side of the square where the whole front comes into view.
• The two lions at the entrance are the most photographed detail, and you will often see people waiting beside the left one.
• Listen for the bell called Little John, which sounds across Old Market Square on the hour.
• The square itself is one of the largest in the country and works as a stage for the building, with the Council House as its centrepiece.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 30 minutes to look at the exterior and the square, longer if you want to sit and watch city life.
• Early morning is quietest for photos, while late afternoon light warms the stone of the facade.
• The building is a working civic office, so check current opening hours and whether visitors can go inside before you plan on it.
• Nottingham Castle, the Lace Market and the old streets around the square are all within an easy walk, so it works well as the start of a longer stroll.

See it on a quest

Maid Marian's Nottingham: Finding Robin Hood takes you to the Council House on foot as one stop on a longer route through the city centre. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, and one ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Nottingham is a good choice if you prefer a darker story. You reach the Council House as part of a self-guided walk, hear about the place on the spot and solve a puzzle there. One ticket covers the whole group.

Nottingham Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. suits anyone who likes detective work. The Council House is one stop on the route, with an introduction from the app and a puzzle to solve as you stand there. One ticket covers the whole group.