The Rathaus was built between 1861 and 1869 in the style of the Northern Italy High Renaissance by Hermann Friedrich Waesemann.

It replaced several individual buildings dating from the Middle Ages and now occupies an entire city block.

The building was heavily damaged by Allied bombing in World War II and rebuilt to the original plans between 1951 and 1956.

"Rotes Rathaus" ("red city hall") was also used figuratively to designate the socialist government of East Berlin, the Magistrat.

After German reunification, the administration of reunified Berlin officially moved into the Rotes Rathaus on 1 October 1991.