HARBOUR CITIES SEA OF ATTRACTIONS

HARBOUR CITIES

SEA OF ATTRACTIONS

In the next series of stories about the attractions of major harbour cities from the Polish coast we move to the West, to the port and city of Hamburg.

Port of Hamburg is almost as old as the city itself. It was founded by Frederick I in 1189 and over the centuries the harbour has served as a major harbour in Central Europe, making Hamburg one of the leading cities for trade at the time. The following centuries were a history of dynamic growth for the harbour and the city. The XIXth century saw another major development of the harbour. With the opening of the Hamburg America Line the importance of the harbour increased and it became the main center of Central Europe for transatlantic passenger and cargo transport. The harbour of Hamburg was not spared by the turmoil of war - after World War I and World War II Hamburg lost much of its infrastructure and had to rebuild its position anew.

The work of rebuilding its global position was done with German solidity. As a result, the modern harbour of Hamburg is the largest in Germany, after Rotterdam and Antwerp, and the third largest in Europe in terms of container throughput. The Hamburg harbour welcomes around 8,000 ships a year and reached 126.3 million tonnes of transshipment in 2020. It is the window to the world for the transport of Germany, as well as neighboring countries.

However, let's focus on the city itself. If you have some free time while the ship is in port and you haven't seen Hamburg yet, don't miss the opportunity to see this beautiful and rich city. Instead, to get a better idea of the sights and interesting places of Hamburg, let's take a look at the history of this city.

The origins of Hamburg date back to the IV century BC, when the first settlement

was established on the Elbe River. From the IVth to the VIth century AD the area was settled by the Saxons, and in 810 Emperor Charlemagne built a church there to convert them. A fortified town was built to defend the church, which was named Hammaburg in 858.

During the Middle Ages Hamburg grew rapidly fuelled by the increasing importance of the river Elbe for trade. Hamburg became the most important Hanseatic port on the North Sea and served as a transshipment point for various goods such as furs, grain, cloth, herring and wood. However, Hamburg's most popular export was beer.

The development of the city intensified in 1558, after the opening of the Hamburg Stock Exchange, the first such institution in German-speaking countries. In 1678 the Opera House, one of the first in Europe, was opened. However, the cultural boom of the city

occurred in the XVIIIth century, among others, thanks to the establishment of the Hamburg National Theatre (1767).

In 1762 the city was conquered by the Danes and in 1806 by Napoleonic troops. In 1811 Hamburg was formally incorporated into France and designated as the capital of the department of Bouches-de-l'Elbe. In 1871 the city became part of Germany again.

In 1877, one of the world's most famous shipyards, Blohm & Voss AG, was founded in Hamburg and still exists to this day. Hamburg, thanks to the development of shipping and trade with Western countries in the second half of the XIXth century, greatly expanded the port and port warehouses. The largest port district was the Speicherstadt, built between 1881 and 1888. In the following decades the harbour was also expanded on the other bank of the Elbe. The establishment of a duty-free harbour in

1888 made Hamburg one of the largest warehouses for coffee, cocoa, spices and carpets. The construction of the Kiel Canal in 1895 further increased the attractiveness of the harbour as it now provided a direct and rapid link to the Baltic Sea area.

From 1900 Hamburg has begun to take on a metropolitan character. At that time the city had more than one million inhabitants. In 1937 special laws defined the boundaries of the Hamburg agglomeration which are still in force today (among others the Prussian Altona was included in the city).

The period of World War II was the most tragic event in the history of Hamburg. The city suffered especially in 1943 during the allied bombings (Operation Gomorrah). At that time most of the buildings were destroyed and tens of thousands of people died. On May 1 1945 Hamburg garrison surrendered to

the British without defending the city. In 1962 the Great Flood, which flooded huge areas of northern Germany, also affected Hamburg. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea has been based in Hamburg since 1995.

Today, Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany with a population of about 1.85 million people. It is an important industrial and cultural center. It offers attractions for the fans of museums, architecture and nightlife. Below, we present only a few of the most important, in our opinion, attractions of this beautiful city. We hope that they will encourage you to spend some time with them.

Miniatur Wunderland

Miniatur Wunderland is an interesting option for railroad enthusiasts and more. This miniature park, which has the longest model railroad in the world, is constantly changing and expanding. New sections are added here every year, adding to the already high interest in this place. What draws the crowds is the extraordinary reproduction with which the worlds are created and the unique 15-minute day and night simulation. The mock-up has 9 sections replicating places around the world, including Italy, Switzerland, the USA and many others.

Philharmonic on the Elbe

The city's newest landmark and attraction is the Elbe Philharmonic building. A new glassy structure, resembling a raised sail, a wave of water or a quartz crystal, was placed on top of the old warehouse building. Construction, which was to be completed in 2010, was finalized in 2017. The Elbphilharmonie has three concert halls with the largest able to accommodate 2,100 guests. The building also houses a music school, hotel, spa and even private apartments. By picking up a free admission ticket you can drive up to the 8th floor. There is an observation deck where you can see the panorama of the city and the harbour.

Hamburg City Hall

The City Hall is one of Hamburg's most beautiful buildings. It was commissioned in 1897, 55 years after its predecessor burned down. This monumental building has 647 rooms and was set on more than 4,000 oak stilts. What does not let you pass by indifferently is the elaborately decorated facade and the 112 meter high tower. The town hall is an example of historicism in Germany and the architecture is a combination of Italian and North German Renaissance elements. As you enter from the town hall square, notice the statues of twenty German kings and emperors (from Charlemagne to Franz II) set between the window niches. These are just some of the figures with which the city hall has been decorated. The building houses the local parliament and senate but it is free to visit the interesting lobby and the beautiful inner courtyard with the amazing Higiei fountain.

Ganary city – Speicherstadt

Another place worth visiting in Hamburg is the UNESCO-listed Speicherstadt, located right next to the port, the world's largest complex of interconnected warehouses built in Wilhelminian Brick Gothic. It is characterized by an exterior of red brick with small turrets, niches and terracotta ornaments. The entire district stands on a wood-pile foundation. Its more than 100-year history is linked to the establishment of the Hamburg Free Harbour. The warehouses built stored spices, coffee, tea, beer and carpets and are now home to many museums, galleries and offices. The place is rich in many charming cafés. We recommend visiting one of them to enjoy a cup of coffee and go back to the times when this place was teeming with harbour life.

Binnenalster and Aussenalster lakes on Alster river

Hamburg is full of moats, rivers and lakes. One of these places are two artificial lakes on the Alster River: the larger one - Außenalster and the smaller one - Binnenalster. The lakes are surrounded by the best hotels, stores, and buildings with beautiful facades. An interesting way to spend free time is a cruise on an old steamboat on the lakes. On summer days you should also try the ‘Alsterwasser’ - a refreshing and stimulating combination of beer and lemonade. This is a great place to relax and unwind but also to watch the yachts, boats and water fowl.

The Prototype Car Museum

Every automotive fan (but not only) should visit the Prototype Car Museum. It houses unique racing and sports cars representing 80 years of motorization. The advantage of this museum is the lack of barriers which gives you the opportunity to admire fantastic and often prototype cars up close. Porsche models predominate among the brands with a unique Porsche Type 64 from 1939. There are also Audi and VW models or the first car of Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher - Jordan F1 191.

Planten un Blomen Park

The greenest city in Germany - that's how Hamburg is titled and you can see it at every turn. Sometimes you might even get the impression that the city has grown in a forest. There are plenty of green areass and the most popular is the Planten un Blomen park located in the city center. On 47 hectares there are charming ponds, various themed gardens, including one of the largest Japanese gardens in Europe. It is a place where you can lie down on the grass or use benches and deck chairs to rest after the hardships of sightseeing or expose your skin to the sun. And in the winter you can have fun on Germany's largest outdoor ice rink. Children have not been forgotten either and there is a large playground in the southern part of the park. During the summer season, it is worth returning to the park in the evening to attend a light and sound concert. The combination of illuminated fountains and classical music creates a unique experience and completes a day full of excitement. In the immediate vicinity of the park is the Hamburg Messe, where Europe's largest maritime trade fair, SMM Hamburg, is held every two years in September.

Reeperbahn and St. Pauli district

The Reeperbahn, shrouded in myth and legend, is one of Hamburg's most famous streets and the main street of the St. Pauli district, also known as the red light district. The street is full of strip clubs, sex shops, nightclubs, discos, bars and restaurants. It's a different Hamburg than the one seen downtown. Dirty, sinful, but isn't it more real? There is one more reason to visit St. Pauli. The Beatles started their career here in the early 1960s.

Which harbour city will we visit together in the next edition of M Magazine? You will find out in a quarter. See you there!