After large fires in 1347 and 1351, William I, Duke of Bavaria who was also the Count of Holland at that time, donated the remains of the Gravenzaal to the city's municipality.

Originally the city hall was just the front of the building, and the rear cloister belonged to the Dominican brotherhood.

After the Protestant Reformation this came into the possession of the city council and it is now a large complex with offices and meeting rooms.

The town hall is still used for civic weddings and nearly every Friday in Spring, brides can be seen entering and leaving by the main stairway.

They heard the local choir Zang en Vriendschap sing and received a book about all the previous royal state visits to Haarlem.