Page 444 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

442  NOR THERN GERM AN Y HA MBURG  443

P Altstadt (Old Town) Situated 104 km behind a metal barrier – land). This area is fertile and has
Hamburg’s old town extends (62 miles) inland along women and those under 18 the largest number of orchards
to the south of the Rathaus the Elbe River, Hamburg are forbidden entrance. St Pauli in Germany. Many visitors come
(town hall) but, following the is Europe’s second larg- even has an Erotic-Museum, here in May, when cherry and
Great Fire of 1842 and est port after Rotterdam, where next to the exhibits are apple tree blossom turns
bombing during World War II, and the port dominates reproductions of works by everything into a sea of white
only a few original buildings the panorama. Every artists from Rembrandt to and pink. In this riot of colour
remain. Katharinenkirche year 12,000 ships dock Picasso, which are said to stand sturdy red-brick houses
(St Catherine’s), with its here from 90 countries. “prove” that everything revolves with white half-timbered panels,
characteristic tower, was From the U3 Baumwall around the female posterior. thatched roofs and carved
begun in the 13th century and The transport hub of Landungsbrücken in St Pauli metro station it is best gates. The most beautiful
completed in the 17th cen tury. to walk to Landungs­ Environs villages are Neuenfelde, Jork,
It has been restored after The interior is preserved in a brücken, past the museum The magnificent palace in Borstel, Steinkirchen and
damage in World War II. Of white, grey and gold colour ships moored here: the freighter Ahrensburg (1595), 23 km Hollern, with their richly
the neighbouring Neo-Gothic scheme, and some of the fittings Cap San Diego and the sailing (14 miles) to the northeast, furnished Baroque churches.
Nikolaikirche only a single are made from tropical wood. boat Rickmer Rickmers (1896). has Baroque and Rococo
tower remained after 1945, the The observation platform offers Landungsbrücken is a 200-m interiors open to visitors.
Nikolaiturm, which is the third splendid views of the city and (656-ft) long building from 0 Stade
tallest in Germany. It serves as its extensive harbour. where the passenger ferries Road map C2. * 47,000.
a monument to the tragic depart. A tour of the harbour £ U3 to Neugraben, then by train or
consequences of war. P Krameramtswohnungen is highly recommended. Near catamaran from Landungsbrücken.
Deichstraße is one of a Krayenkamp 10. Tel (040) 37 50 19 88. Landungsbrücken, in a copper- n Hansestraße 16 (04141-40 91 70). The Baroque portal of the Dutch-
few surviving streets in the Open 31 Mar–29 Nov: 10am–5pm domed building, is the entrance ∑ stade-tourismus.de influenced Rathaus in Stade
old town, with the original Tue–Sun; 30 Nov–30 Mar: 10am–5pm to Alter Elbtunnel (the old
façades still visible from both Sat & Sun. tunnel under the Elbe) where This medieval Hanseatic town entire old town is surrounded
the road and the canal (the Near the Michaeliskirche, a people and cars are lowered has retained most of its half- by preserved modern fortifi-
best view can be had from the section of the old town, the in a giant lift. timbered buildings, with the cations. Other attractions are
Hohe Brücke bridge). One of Krameramtswohnungen, has most attractive in the Alter the Bürger meister-Hintze-
the many famous local miraculously survived. These P St Pauli Façade of Schloß Ahrensburg, flanked Hafen (old harbour). There is a Haus at Am Wasser West 23,
restaurants is “Zum Brandanfang”, half-timbered houses were Infamous around the world, by towers also a quaint crane and the a house built for the mayor,
at No. 25. It is here that the funded by the merchants’ guild this area is also known as Schwedenspeicher (Swedish Hintze, in 1617–46, and the
Great Fire of 1842, which and built to house the widows Reeperbahn, after the main granary) dating from the Swedish exquisite Baroque Rathaus
eventually destroyed most of shopkeepers. Today they street. It is a world of nightclubs 9 Altes Land occupation during the Thirty (town hall) from 1667, its design
of the city, was said to have are occupied by tourist shops, and bars, pubs and theatres, sex Road map C2. Years’ War (1692–1705). It is now revealing Dutch influence.
broken out. cafés and restaurants. clubs and brothels. It is here, in home to the Schwedenspeicher- The 14th-century Gothic
Hamburg’s red-light district, On the flood plains stretching Museum, a museum with church of St Wilhadi boasts an
g The Port that some teenage seasonal for more than 30 km (19 miles) exhibits on the town’s history interesting Gothic hall and a
Cap San Diego Tel (040) 36 42 09. wor kers from Liverpool, the between Hamburg and Stade, and defence system, including leaning tower, while St Cosmas
Open 10am–6pm daily. Rickmer Beatles, started their careers. along the Lower Elbe River, wheels from 700 BC, which and Damiani, founded after the
Rickmers Tel (040) 319 59 59. On Herbertstrasse, scantily clad is the Altes Land (old were part of a Bronze-Age Great Fire of 1659, features
Open 10am–8pm daily. women offer their ser vices cart. Nearby, an interesting marvellous Baroque furnishings.
building at Am Wasser
Fischmarkt – A Market for Everything West 7 houses the E Schwedenspeicher-Museum
Kaufmann Collection, Am Wasser West 39. Tel (04141) 79
This is an attraction for early risers or for those who never get to bed with works by Worps- 77 30. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Fri,
at all. From 5am (7am in winter) on Sundays the Auktionshalle wede artists. The 10am–6pm Sat & Sun. &
(auction hall) and the nearby waterside turn into a colourful market
place. Fishermen returning from the sea with their freshly caught fish
compete with noisy greengrocers offering their wares and bric-à-
brac merchants setting out stalls. Thousands of tourists mingle with
sailors and ladies of the night relaxing with a cup of steaming mulled
wine after a hard night’s work in St Pauli. Here and there you can hear
Plattdeutsch being spoken,
Ornate Baroque pulpit in the northern patois. Morning
Hamburg’s Michaeliskirche mass at 10am used to mark
the end of this colourful
R Michaeliskirche spectacle, but today’s public
Observation tower: Tel (040) 37 67 80. lingers on and then hurries
Open May–Oct: 9am–7:30pm daily, off to bed instead of church.
Nov–Apr: 10am–5:30pm daily.
The massive Baroque church
of St Michaelis, visible from
afar with its 132-m (433-ft) Bric-à-brac on sale at a market
tower (the “Michel”), is the stall in Fischmarkt
main symbol of Hamburg. The half-timbered houses along the waterside of Alter Hafen in Stade
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp501–502 and pp529–31

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