Narodne domove so na Slovenskem gradili od konca 19. stoletja pa vse do začetka 20. stoletja. Prvi narodni dom, ki so ga uredili v stari stavbi, je nastal na Ptuju, nato pa so mu sledili še Narodni dom v Celju, Mariboru, Ljubljani, Trstu… Glavni razlog za nastajanje narodnih domov je bilo dokazovanje slovenskosti v mestih in obuditev narodne zavesti pri Slovencih. Večina narodnih domov je bila zgrajena v historističnih slogih, zgledovali pa so se po dunajskih in čeških vzorih. Narodni dom je zasnoval češki arhitekt Jan Vladimír Hráský. Kot reakcija na gradnjo narodnih domov in poudarjanje slovenstva, so Nemci v času nacionalnih sporov, ki so bili posebej izraziti prav na celjskem območju, začeli graditi nemške hiše oziroma nemške domove (Celje, delo avstrijskega arhitekta je Petra Paula Branga, Ptuj, Brežice). Nemške hiše so gradili v t. i. staronemškem slogu (altdeutsch). Stavbe s poudarjenimi neogotskimi značilnostmi so delovale kot gradovi z vogalnimi stolpi in so s svojo precej členjeno fasado prikazovale strogost, ki je bila značilna za utrdbe. Narodni domovi in nemške hiše so bile namenjene prirejanju različnih kulturnih in družabnih prireditev ter zborovanjem različnih si društev. Pomembnost stavb poudarja njihova lokacija, saj stojijo na pomembnejših delih mesta ali vhodih v mesto ter so s svojo monumentalnostjo in pomembno lego v mestu ponazarjajo bodisi slovenski bodisi nemški pečat. National Halls in Slovenia began to build in the period from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. The first National Hall was created in Ptuj, which was renovated in the old building, followed by National Halls in Celje, Ljubljana, Maribor, Brežice, Trieste … The main reason for the emergence of National Halls was the affirmation of the Slovenian national character in the cities and the revival of national consciousness among Slovenians. Most National Halls were built in the historical architectural style and were inspired by the Czech models. The National Hall in Celje was designed by the Czech architect Jan Vladimír Hráský. During national conflicts between Slovenian and Germans, which were especially strong in Celje, the Germans began to build German Houses (the German House in Celje, the plan of the Austrian architect Peter Paul Brang, the German Houses in Ptuj and Brežice) as a reaction to the emergence of National Halls as a sign of the strength of the Slovenian character. The German Houses were built in an old German style (altdeutsch). Buildings with neo-gothic characteristics were similar to castles with corner towers and a façade resembling that of a fortress. National Halls and German Houses had the purpose of organizing various cultural and social events and meetings of various societies. The importance of the buildings was emphasized by their location in the important parts of the city or at the entrance to the city, with their position and monumentality functioning as an important symbol of the Slovenian or the German mark.