Hamburg - Buses and Buses - Transportation - Attractions

Hamburg, whose full name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is Germany's second-largest city and, like Berlin, a city with statehood. It lies on the estuary of the Elbe River into the North Sea, where Germany's largest seaport is located. The city's history dates back as far as the 4th century BC, when the first settlement was established in the area of present-day Hamburg. In 858, the fortified town that existed there was named Hammaburg. The medieval period was a time of Hamburg's thriving development as a Hanseatic port and a transshipment point for various goods. Over time, the stock exchange was also established there and industry developed.

What to see in Hamburg?

One day is not enough to see everything this city has to offer tourists. So we present a subjective list of the most interesting and important places and attractions of Hamburg.

City Hall

The building dates back to the end of the 19th century and with its richly decorated exterior refers to different architectural styles: baroque, renaissance or gothic. It was built on the site of an earlier town hall, which burned down in a fire in 1842. It is possible to take a guided tour of it - both the interior and exterior facade of the building are very impressive. The town hall is located on the long town hall square, where important events for the city are held, including the Christmas market.

St. Michael's Main Church

This temple was built in the mid-18th century in the Baroque style. From the 132-meter tall bell tower with a clock, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. From there, a bugle call is also played twice a day. Today's church is the third built on this site. The first church building was built in the 17th century, but in 1750 lightning struck the tower and caused a fire. The second building also burned down in 1906, after which it was rebuilt with fireproof steel. The church was partially destroyed during World War II, but was quickly restored. Inside, the neo-Baroque main altar, the 18th century baptismal font or as many as four historic organs are particularly noteworthy.

Speicherstadt

Under this name is Hamburg's granary district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of neo-Gothic modernist red brick warehouses topped with distinctive turrets located on picturesque canals on the Elbe River. The buildings were built at the end of the 19th century and were used to store goods transported to and from Hamburg's port. Among other things, coffee, tea, cocoa or beer were stored here. Today, the former granaries are used as museums, art galleries or upscale hotels, although many still serve storage functions.

Miniatur Wunderland

This is an extremely popular Hamburg attraction located within the Speicherstadt. Among other things, parts of Europe and the U.S. are reproduced there at a scale of 1:87 on a huge area. More than 1,100 trains run on the world's longest miniature tracks, but other modes of transportation and nearly five thousand buildings are also present. The mock-ups are expanded every year.

Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg

The Maritime Museum Hamburg presents an impressive collection of ship, ferry and boat models, as well as paintings and prints on maritime themes, and uniforms, weapons or maps and navigational devices used in shipping over the centuries.

Kunsthalle

This is one of the largest art museums in Germany, gathering its collections in as many as three buildings. There you can admire works by world-famous artists such as Rembrandt, Lorrain, Manet and Munch.