Hamburg’s centuries-old squares, ancient ports, themed museums and Renaissance structures open up a world of history. It’s a city of contrasts and it is able to preserve that old-world grace despite its booming commercial life.
The city’s top sights include the Rathaus, the imposing city hall, and the Elbphilharmonie, the stunning new concert hall. Also worth checking out is the Oevelgonne district, home to the New Elbe Tunnel and its museum of historic vessels.
St. Michael’s Church
A highlight of any visit to Hamburg is a trip to St. Michael’s Church, which is one of the finest Hansseatic Protestant baroque churches ever built.
Located in the new town, this cathedral is known for its distinctive copper roof and 132-meter-high sehenswürdigkeiten hamburg tower. Its sweeping panoramic views of the city and harbour are sure to inspire your senses.
The interior of the church is breathtaking and is often used for organ concerts. Moreover, it is the final resting place of famous musicians like Georg Philipp Telemann and his godson Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
Speicherstadt
One of the most iconic sights of Germany’s port city is Speicherstadt, or ‘City of Warehouses’. Located near the port, this warehouse district was built on timber pile foundations and oak logs in the HafenCity quarter between 1883 and 1927.
The buildings were designed by civil engineer Franz Andreas Meyer and feature brick cladding walls, gable roofs, and terracotta ornamentation. They’re a fine example of the gothic revival style.
Today, Speicherstadt is a cultural centre with many museums, theatres and historic coffee roasting houses. In 2015 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. It’s also home to Miniatur Wunderland, a model railway exhibition that’s popular with kids of all ages.
Deichstrasse
If you’re looking for a unique area to explore, Deichstrasse is the place. This old town district street runs along the Nikolaifleet canal and is lined with timber-framed townhouses.
These houses were once home to living quarters and storage spaces. Their location on the river meant that goods were delivered to them by canal boats.
However, the summer of 1943 was a devastating time for Hamburg as American and British bombers carried out raids in retaliation for the Nazi regime’s attacks on London and South England. While large parts of the city were destroyed, most of the buildings on Deichstrasse survived.
Rickmer Rickmers
Hamburg is a great city for all tastes, from gastronomy to shopping and entertainment. The famous Reeperbahn is a popular place for nightlife and the red light district is also worth a visit.
Maritime history is also a major focus here. There is a submarine, a trade ship and shipwrecks to explore.
The Rickmer Rickmers, a three-masted cargo sailing ship, is permanently moored in Landungsbrucken and offers insights into life at sea. It’s now a museum ship, where you can take a look at the crew and officers’ cabins and visit exhibitions below deck.
PROTOTYP Museum
The PROTOTYP Museum in HafenCity is a must-visit for anyone with a passion for cars. The museum exhibits rare sports and racing cars from the early post-war period to modern times.
They are displayed without annoying barriers and separate glass walls so that you can see them from all angles and take great photos. It is a truly unique experience!
The three floors (around 2,500 m2) offer a glass workshop, an interactive library, an audio box with individually selectable engine sounds from the most famous sports and racing cars, a wind tunnel for researching one’s own “streamline knowledge” as well as changing special exhibitions. The adjacent museum cafe,,Erlkonig” and the museum shop provide a relaxed ‘pit stop’ for visitors of all ages.
Altona
Altona, once a Danish fisherman’s village on the river Elbe, has now become one of Hamburg’s most diverse districts. With its many renovated buildings, independent shops and unique social hang-out spots, as well as its magical harbour side and proximity to the town centre, it is an alluring place to visit.
Take a stroll through the Altona Museum, an impressive building that covers the area’s art and cultural history from the 18th century to present. You’ll learn a lot about the city’s fishing and seafaring past and admire art themed around the sea.
