From 1816 until the district reform in 1969 Bernkastel was the administrative centre of the district of the same name. For this administration, a multi-part building complex was erected in 1904 as a circular-standing building with elements of Art Nouveau and, above all, of Historicism. The War Memorial for the Fallen of the War 1870/71 also used to stand in front of the Kreisständehaus am Gestade.
Today, the building houses an important part of the municipal administration. By the way: The district court also resided here temporarily.