Image courtesy of Karsten Planz at Flickr.com
The City of Hamburg is one of the sixteen German states. Out of all German cities, Hamburg is probably the most visited one due to its celebrations, the places to have fun and its amazing architecture. Hamburg was destroyed and occupied several times during its history. In 845, 600 Viking ships sailed up the River Elbe and destroyed Hamburg, at that time a town of around 500 inhabitants. The city has large and beautiful museums, art galleries and excellent restaurants that make all travelers who walk its streets feel motivated to see it all and stay longer. Hamburg is a city of many traditions and styles that mix maritime culture with beautiful architectural Avant-garde wonders.
The city is not only beautiful but also highly innovative, as Hamburg has planned to reduce emissions up to 40% within the next ten years. The place is already known for being green and for promoting the need for a better quality of life for its citizens and a high standard of ecological requirements in its entire infrastructure. The project formerly mentioned, seeks to involve citizens in reverting the damage we human beings are causing the planet, starting by Hamburg. From early education, children are learning about the environment, the impact they have on the planet and the way they can contribute towards change. Hamburg is a perfect city to visit and makes you want to stay until you have seen it all. Here we have some of the best places to visit.
Port of Hamburg.
Located right on the Elbe River. This is the largest maritime port in Germany and the second largest in all of Europe. The port was created almost at the same time as the city was back in 1189 and long its history, it was become one of its most important symbols. The port is known for how easy it is for ships to transfer loads, take on shipments and unload goods. The harbor covers an area of 73.99 km², of which 43.31 km² are land areas. The first line between Hamburg and America, called the Hapag, was founded in 1847. Since then, the port has gained even more importance amongst merchants and travelers.
Kunsthalle Hamburg.
The name ‘Kunsthalle’ indicates the museum’s history as an “art hall” when founded in 1850. Located on Glockengiesserwall am Hauptbahnhof near the Alster River, this museum is formed by three buildings connected amongst each other. It was built between 1863 and 1869. The inside has an art gallery filled with German paintings from the 15th century and some other French Impressionism pieces. The Kunsthalle has more than 700 pieces of art that date from the middle ages to contemporary times. All of the art inside the museum belongs to large and important collections that are admired by millions of visitors that stop by the museum. The museum is open between 10 AM and 5 PM from Tuesdays to Sundays, and on Mondays the hours are from 10AM until 8 PM.
Hamburgmuseum (Museum of History of Hamburg)
Its official name is “Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte”. Fritz Schumacher designed it in 1909 and its construction began in 1916, only to be halted for six years before its doors finally opened to the public in 1922. A great fired happened in 1982 and destroyed part of the courtyard. The museum’s main purpose is showing the history of the city from its beginnings in the 9th century until today.
Image courtesy of Marius Brede at Flickr.com
Hamburg’s City Hall.The Hamburg Rathaus is located in Altstadt is the downtown area near the Alster and Central Station. The façade is made of sandstone with a heavy baroque style adorned with statues of emperors. The Rathaus was built in the late 19th century. Currently it houses the senate and parliament, and it’s considered the political branch of Hamburg. The building has 647 rooms, even more than the Buckingham Palace in London and it has an area 17,000 square meters.
Hamburg Botanical Gardens.
Also known as The Hamburg University Botanical Gardens, due to the institutions commitment in maintaining the gardens. It is open every day and entrance is completely free. It has 25 acres of land is located on Ohnhorststrasse 18. The garden is separated into three sections: The Systematic garden, The Geographical garden with plants arranged by geographic origin, and The Plant and Man with five thematic gardens: Farmer’s Garden, Biblical Garden, crops, pharmacy garden, and poisonous and medicinal plants.
Hamburg is a notable tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors; it ranked 16th in the world for livability in 2015.
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