Sights and landmarks in Hamburg

Sights and landmarks in Hamburg

1. SeeNorth

   Alsterpark

   Inaugurated in 1952. The part west of the Alster is called Alstervorland, the one east Alterpark.

2. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Alter Elbtunnel

   St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel

   Completed in 1911, it links both sides of the river Elbe. A lift or stairs bring you the 24 m down into the tunnel. You then walk through one of its two 427-m-long pipes having 12 m of water over your head. At the other side, you again walk up the stairs or take a lift. The tunnel is decorated with ceramic arts of maritime motifs (e.g. fish, mussels, seals, old boots). For pedestrians and bicycles it is free and open all day and night, every day. Even cars can pass through the tunnel (only M-F 05:30-20:00 for €2) being brought down with four lifts.

3. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Altona City Hall

   Rathaus Altona

   Built in 1898, when Altona was still a separate city. It's an impressive building with influences of Italian Renaissance.

4. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Altonaer Museum

   Dedicated to Altona's, Hamburg's and northern Germany's cultural history.

5. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Altonaer Volkspark

   This used to be the city park of the independent town of Altona. Unlike Hamburger Stadtpark, this park has been left in a more natural state. On the northern edge of the park is Volksparkstadion, the home stadium of the football team HSV, as well as the multi-purpose Barclaycard Arena.

6. SeeSouth

   Archaeological Museum Hamburg

   Helms-Museum

   Museum presenting prehistorical and early historical northern Germany as well as the history of the city of Harburg.

7. SeeSouth

   Aussichtspunkt Steinwerder

   A viewing platform at the southern end of the Alter Elbtunnel, with great views on Landungsbrücken, the Elbphilharmonie, and Hamburg's harbourfront.

   24h·free

8. SeeSouth

   BallinStadt Auswanderwelt Hamburg

   BallinStadt — History of Emigration

   It was built in 1892 under the guidance of Albert Ballin to provide medical care and accommodation to migrants, who were emigrating to the United States on HAPAG ships. The complex was converted into a museum, though its original design and layout is not the same because parts of the complex were destroyed. The museum is dedicated to the 5 million people who emigrated via Hamburg. It has a computer terminal where visitors can look up information on their emigrant ancestors. At €12 (children: 5-12: €7, family: €25), it's pricey, and the English translations can be sparse and superficial. Unless they can read the German documents, American visitors who have been to museums such as Ellis Island will find much of the content familiar.

9. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Beatles-Platz

   Beatles Square

   There is a sculpture honouring the Beatles. Also in the Reeperbahn area are clubs where the Beatles played at various times from 1960 to 1962, including the Indra club and Star Club.

10. SeeEast

    Bergedorf Castle

    Schloss Bergedorf

    This is the only preserved castle inside the city borders of Hamburg, and it has been mentioned in documents in the 14th century. Since 1953 it houses a museum of Bergedorf and the Vierlande region. The idyllic castle park has been protected since 1926.

11. SeeEast

    Bergedorf City Hall

    Rathaus Bergedorf

    This castle-like villa was built in 1898-99 and has hosted the city government of Bergedorf since 1927. It is also open to visitors, as is the 35 m high city hall tower (Rathausturm). There is a park (Rathauspark) behind the city hall with a scene, playground, stream and garden artworks.

12. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Cap San Diego

    One of the last generation of pre-containerisation cargo ships (built in the 1960s), now semi-permanently moored halfway between Landungsbrücken and the Speicherstadt, and is the largest functional cargo museum ship in the world. The ship has been restored and is maintained in full working order by volunteers (who take it out a few times a year, notably during the Hafengeburtstag celebration). You can visit the ship and walk around most areas, including the crew quarters, cargo compartments, and engine room. The ship also hosts a number of other minor attractions, including an exhibit on emigration and an escape room. The ship also has a few guest rooms for overnight stays.

    Closed · opens 10 am tomorrow·€7 adults, €4 children

13. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Chilehaus

    Chile House

    The house, depicting the form of a ship, is probably the best example of the 1920s style of "Kontorhaus" architecture. Large office buildings are displayed in the typical, northern red brick style.

14. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Chocoversum Hachez Schokoladen-Museum

    The Chocoversum is a "museum" run by chocolate manufacturer Hachez from Hamburg's fellow Hansestadt Bremen. Rather than focus on exhibiting historic artifacts, it presents the process of making chocolate from the plantation up to the finished confection. There is also a studio where visitors can try their hands at being a chocolatier. 90-minute guided tours are provided everyday.

    Daily, including Sundays 10:00-18:00·€14, discounts for children, disabled, families and large groups

15. SeeSouth

    Container port

    Hamburg's massive container ports line the southern bank of the river Elbe. They are most spectacular at night, and the best place to view them from is by driving north along the A7 highway (heading into the Elbtunnel tunnel). They are not freely accessible to the public, but there are bus tours (only in German, about €35 per person, must be booked in advance) which depart from Hamburg's city centre and, over the course of several hours, drive through the container terminals, with informative commentary.

16. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Deichtorhallen

    The Deichtorhallen is one of the best known exhibition galleries worldwide. The historical buildings are divided into an exhibition hall for contemporary art and the "House of Photography". Together the two buildings organize a highly diverse program of changing exhibitions.

17. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Dialog im Dunkeln

    Sighted people get to experience the everyday life of blind people. In completely dark rooms blind people guide the sighted through the exhibition.

18. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Dockland

    Walk 136 steps to the roof of this building to get a wonderful view of the harbour. The six-storey glass and steel building has the shape of a parallelogram and is reminiscent of a ship bow.

19. SeeEast

    Edith-Stein-Kirche

    A modern Catholic church building inaugurated in 1993. It is a round church with a flat roof rising up towards the altar.

20. SeeNorth

    Eimsbüttler Park

    also known as "Weiher"

    This former forest and current park has survived both world wars and still offers green pastures around the Weiher lake together with a playground, swimming pool and a café.

21. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Elbphilharmonie

    New 'architectural lighthouse' of Hamburg. On the top of a huge old warehouse a 110 metres tall modern philharmonic hall with glass façade and wave-shaped roof. It also includes a fancy hotel, restaurant, as well as private apartments. Access to the observation deck (called "Plaza") is free (although you need to get a ticket to prevent overcrowding), and offers a great view of Hamburg. On days of long queues in front of the ticket booth for the Plaza get your ticket at the instead. Normally there are very few people.

    Daily 09:00-24:00 (Plaza)·Free

22. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Flakturm IV

    Feldstraße Bunker

    Right at the Heiligengeistfeld is a World War II bunker, visible from far away due to its size. Nowadays the building houses different media companies and agentures, and there's a dance club on the upper floor.

23. SeeEast

    Franz-von-Assisi-Kirche

    One of the newest churches in the region, this Lutheran church was inaugurated in 1993. The 40-m-high church tower is visible from far away.

24. SeeSouth

    Freilichtmuseum am Kiekeberg

    Open air museum showcasing rural life with a historical alcohol distillery, teaching kitchen, museum shop.

    Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Christmas and New Year

25. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Grosse Freiheit

    Great Freedom

    In the pedestrian street there are a lot of bars and clubs - a great place to go in the evening, although it's very crowded and it may get a bit dangerous in the weekend. On weekdays, it is harmless here - a low-budget tip is, 99 Cent Bar, which offers really many drinks for basically €1. On the weekend, you will have to pay an entrance fee of €1 but it's still the best place to go drinking on a budget. The street was named in 1610 after the fact that Count Ernest of Schaumburg and Holstein-Pinneberg had granted religious freedom to non-Lutherans such as Mennonites and Roman Catholics to practice their faith here and commercial freedom for handcrafters not enrolled in the else compelling guilds. Today it is part of the red light district.

26. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    HafenCity Kesselhaus InfoCenter

    Here you can find information about the new buildings and the whole district. The InfoCenter also provides free guided tours.

    Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00

27. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    HafenCity View Point

    Look at the erecting process from an orange observation tower, which allows nice views on the HafenCity, the harbour, and the river.

    Free admission

28. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Hafenstraße

    The street was a place for squatters in the 1980s and was well known by the media when there were "battles" between the Autonomous movement and the police. Some squats still exist there, though the "80s-Myth" is dead. You can go to the Punksbar "onkel otto" or eat at the "VoKü" ("Volxküche" - a group cooking event, at which the meal is served free of charge or at cost).

29. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hamburg Museum

    former: Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte

    Holstenwall, close to Underground station "St. Pauli". This is the museum of city history, bringing the past to life with a lot of models showing the development of the harbour and the city. The club "MEHEV" is showing a 40-year-old and one of the largest scale model railroads here.

30. SeeNorth

    Hamburg Stadtpark

    150 ha of park with a pretty good Planetarium at an old water tower in its middle, multiple sporting areas and boat rental on the lake.

31. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hamburger Börse

    House of Commerce

    Between the buildings, there is a little courtyard called Rathaushof with its fountain, Hygieia-Brunnen.

32. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Hamburger Dom

    A large fair held at Heiligengeistfeld fair ground. With three fairs (spring, summer and winter) per year it is the biggest and the longest fair throughout Germany and attracts every one approximately ten million visitors per year.

    Three times a year (Mar, Aug, and Nov)

33. SeeEast

    Hamburger Sternwarte

    The astrophysics faculty of the Universität Hamburg is spread over a big park with protected neobaroque buildings with historical equipment for astronomy science including different telescopes. There's a visitor center with a café and tours every Sunday or by appointment.

    Sat Sun 10:00-18:00

34. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Hans-Albers-Platz

    Between Reeperbahn and Herbertstraße there's a memorial for an actor who was advertising the Kiez (Reeperbahn). Especially the movie Große Freiheit Nummer 7 helped making the Kiez famous.

35. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hauptkirche St. Jacobi

    St. Jacobi has been a parish since the 12th century, when it was not even within Hamburg's then city walls. The present-day church is a reconstruction of the late medieval one from the 15th century, which was destroyed during the Second World War. The reconstruction afforded St. Jacobi with a visibly modern roof and steeple.

36. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hauptkirche St. Katharinen

    Situated on an island, it traditionally served as the church of the seamen. The base of its spire, dating from the 13th century, is the second oldest building preserved in the city. The church is also famous for its centuries-old organ, played by Bach when he was visiting the city. The instrument was actually destroyed to a large extent by the wartime bombings, but has been meticulously rebuilt and is playable again.

37. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hauptkirche St. Michaelis

    Michel

    The youngest and most famous of the five is also the only baroque church. This building is not the original St. Michaelis - that one (built 1647-1669) was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1750. It was not until 1786 that the present church was erected on the site. From the tower (450 steps, or take the elevator) you'll have a great view over the city. Entry to the church is free, but the tower and the crypt cost extra (around €5/person).

    Closed · opens 9 am tomorrow

38. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hauptkirche St. Nikolai

    All five main churches of Hamburg were damaged in World War II. But in contrast to the other four, St. Nikolai has not been re-erected making it a memorial against war. It was designed by English architect George Gilbert Scott. The steeple is still standing and visitors can take an elevator to the top for a view of the city.

    The price to take the elevator is €5 for adults and €4 for groups of at least 10 people

39. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Hauptkirche St. Petri

    St. Petri was a cathedral as early as the 12th century or possibly even earlier. As with other Hauptkirchen, the present version is one of many successive, and was only completed in 1878 after the great fire in 1842 consumed its predecessor. In turn, however, St. Petri survived the Second World War relatively intact. Of note are the large ornate door handles in the shape of lion heads, which have survived both the fire and the war, and the bells, several of which date back to the 16th century. The tower can be climbed for a fee and offers a great view of Hamburg, but the climb is long and not recommended for people suffering from high anxiety.

40. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

    Herbertstraße

    The epicenter of the red-light district, this short street runs parallel to Reeperbahn is closed off by gates from both ends. Adults only and photography is strictly banned.

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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Hamburg (CC BY-SA 4.0).