Two fittings adorn the doors of Lübeck's Town Hall. These flat bronze castings are an outstanding example of Lübeck foundry art. The originals, one of which has been lost and the other is in the St. Anne's Museum, were created between 1332 and 1344 in the workshop of the Lübeck foundry master Johann Apengeter . Their exact date of origin and their authorship are not definitively established.

In the Middle Ages, Lübeck was the only imperial free city in Northern Germany. The document confirming Lübeck's special status was enshrined in the " Imperial Charter of Freedom " of 1226. Being an imperial free city meant that it was subject only to the emperor and not to any territorial lord.

Every person passing through the entrance was reminded that Lübeck was under the direct protection of the highest imperial authority. The creator wished to pay homage to this state authority and the men who elected it, for they guaranteed Lübeck's imperial freedom, which lasted until April 1, 1937, when Lübeck fell to Prussia under the so-called Greater Hamburg Act.

The fittings depict the emperor with the insignia of his power – crown, fleur-de-lis scepter, and orb – and a nose colored gold by many touches. Grouped around him are the seven electors. On the left are the archbishops of Trier, Cologne, and Mainz. On the right are the King of Bohemia, the Count Palatine of the Rhine, the Margrave of Meissen, and the Margrave of Brandenburg.

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