Process for preparing at least one diaryl carbonate from at least one dialkyl carbonate and at least one aromatic hydroxyl compound, by (a) reacting the dialkyl carbonate(s) in the presence of at least one transesterification catalyst with the aromatic hydroxyl compound(s) in a first reaction column comprising at least one rectifying section in the upper part of the column and at least one reaction zone below the rectifying section which has at least two sectors, (b) feeding the bottom product of the first reaction column to at least one further reaction column comprising at least one rectifying section in the upper part of the column and at least one reaction zone below the rectifying section, and converting it further therein, (c) separating the dialkyl carbonate unconverted in the reaction columns of steps (a) and/or (b) or formed during the reaction fully or partly from the alkyl alcohol formed during the reaction in at least one further process step comprising at least one distillation column, (d) feeding the vapour containing aromatic hydroxyl compound(s) withdrawn at the top of at least one reaction column from (b), optionally after condensation in at least one condenser, fully or partly to at least one further process step comprising at least one distillation column to remove compounds whose boiling point is between that of the dialkyl carbonate and that of the alkyl aryl carbonate formed during the preparation of the diaryl carbonate, and (e) feeding the bottom product which comprises diaryl carbonate and is obtained in the further reaction column (s) from step (b) to at least one further process step for purification in at least one distillation column comprising at least one rectifying section in the upper part of the column and at least one stripping section in the lower part of the column, wherein at least one of the reaction column(s) selected from the first reaction column or the further reaction column(s) is equipped with one or more condensers and the heat of condensation obtained by condensation in these condensers is recycled directly or indirectly back into the process, wherein at least one rectifying section of the first reaction column is optionally equipped with at least one intermediate condenser, and the heat of condensation obtained by condensation in this intermediate condenser is recycled directly or indirectly back into the process, and wherein the operating pressure in the separating distillation column(s) of the process step for separation of dialkyl carbonate and alkyl alcohol is adjusted such that the evaporation temperature in the bottom of the separating distillation column(s) of the process step for separation of dialkyl carbonate and alkyl alcohol is below the condensation temperature in the condenser(s) of the further reaction column(s) and/or any intermediate condenser(s) present in the first reaction column, and the heat of condensation obtained by condensation in this (these) condenser(s) is used directly or indirectly, fully or partly, to separate the dialkyl carbonate from the alkyl alcohol formed during the reaction. (a) reacting the dialkyl carbonate(s) in the presence of at least one transesterification catalyst with the aromatic hydroxyl compound(s) in a first reaction column comprising at least one rectifying section in the upper part of the column and at least one reaction zone below the rectifying section which has at least two sectors, (b) feeding the bottom product of the first reaction column to at least one further reaction column comprising at least one rectifying section in the upper part of the column and at least one reaction zone below the rectifying section, and converting it further therein, (c) separating the dialkyl carbonate unconverted in the reaction columns of steps (a) and/or (b) or formed during the reaction fully or partly from the alkyl alcohol formed during the reaction in at least one further process step comprising at least one distillation column, (d) feeding the vapour containing aromatic hydroxyl compound(s) withdrawn at the top of at least one reaction column from (b), optionally after condensation in at least one condenser, fully or partly to at least one further process step comprising at least one distillation column to remove compounds whose boiling point is between that of the dialkyl carbonate and that of the alkyl aryl carbonate formed during the preparation of the diaryl carbonate, and (e) feeding the bottom product which comprises diaryl carbonate and is obtained in the further reaction column (s) from step (b) to at least one further process step for purification in at least one distillation column comprising at least one rectifying section in the upper part of the column and at least one stripping section in the lower part of the column,