The town hall is one of the three buildings in Narva survived from World War II. The Baroque-style building was built by the order of Swedish king Charles XI. The project of the master George Teuffel from Lubeck formed the basis of the building, the construction of which started in 1688. After three years, at the latest in 1691, the building was finished when a gold-plated forged weathercock in the form of a crane was put at the top of the tower (it was made by master Grabben).
During the World War II, the Town Hall was severely damaged: the tower, the roof, the flooring were destroyed, the stairs and the figures at the portal got considerable damages. During the renovation works in the Town Hall (1956-1963), the tower was rebuilt, and the building attained the new roof; the facade and the portal were reconstructed, and the grate that connected stairs and handrails was restored.
Reference: Narva Museum
House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) is a building situated in the old town of Riga. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornaments.
The structure was bombed to a ruin by the Germans June 28, 1941 and the remains demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999. Today the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall.