Attractions in New Town (Hamburg)

DAG-Haus

The edifice of the German Workers Union was built from 1904 onwards, and the row of bronze athlete's figures on its steeple, as well as the "elephant-rider" at the back of it are lovely little details which should not be missed. Today's brick façade dates from 1921-22, while the tower-like structures and the impressive front façade were added in 1929-31. This building is certainly worth a visit, and it also has some architecturally interesting neighbours - such as the Justizforum (Courts) and the Musikhalle.

Justizforum

This complex of judicial buildings is - like the town hall -an expression of the city's self-confidence and independence. The Hamburg High Court (Oberlandesgericht), with its impressive ancient Greek-style facade dating from 1907-12, is located in the centre; the renaissance-style building on the left is the Assembly of the Civil Court (Zivilgericht). The first building to be erected on the site in 1879-82 was the Criminal Punishment Building (Strafjustizgebäude), its brick facade decorated with sandstone elements. The middle of the square is adorned with statues.

Bäckerbreitergang

This Bäckerbreitergang is a narrow alley to be found near Dragonerstall with Hamburg's Musikhalle. It is one of the very few reminders of the Gängeviertel (Alleyway quarter) which survived both a wave of modernisation during 1935-36 and the Second World War almost completely unharmed. This small street, which has been put under national trust protection, makes it easy to imagine the atmosphere in Hamburg's poor quarter.

Colonnaden

These historically important buildings on the western banks of the Inner Alster Lake were originally built as a private road in 1876-77. They are examples of splendid neo-Renaissance buildings with decorated facades, lined by beautiful arcades. They quickly became one of the city's most elegant addresses, and many expensive shops opened here. Today, the Colonnaden are part of the pedestrian precinct in Hamburg's city-center and the sophisticated shops are still awaiting you.

Esplanade

This elegant street has an interesting history. It was commissioned to be built by the city (1827-30) on the model of Unter den Linden (Under the Lime Trees) in Berlin, but only one of its original houses still stands today, namely No. 37. It is mentioned as being the home of Hans Castorp's grandfather in Thomas Mann's novel The Magic Mountain. No. 29 has a paneled room which is still its original state from around the turn of the century.

Gänsemarkt

This triangular square has a misleading name, for there has never been a market here, let alone one that sells geese. In the Middle Ages, it served as a traffic junction. After being rebuilt in the 1980s, it became a new focal point for the city centre. Seven streets lead in its direction, and it encompasses three shopping areas. Neo-classical houses and buildings in the style of the Kontorhäuser line the square, which has a bust of Lessing on it. The Ufa-Palast, once Europe's largest cinema, lies just to the North. In winter, there is a nice Christmas market on Gänsemarkt.

Jungfernstieg

The Jungfernstieg is where it all happens; the motto here is see and be seen. What was once dam in 1665, has been made to look more attractive by planting trees on it and so Jungfernstieg was born. It is surrounded by many shops and to the north of the Inner Alster Lake big steps lead to a terrace that is right next to the Alster. This is where the ferries depart from. The well-known café Alsterpavillion is located on the West side of the Jungfernstieg and is a firm favourite. The Neuer Jungfernstieg was built on the western side of the Inner Alster Lake and the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten is on its grounds, as are the Übersee-Club and the Hamburger Weltwirtschaftarchiv (Hamburger World Economic Archives). The Ballindam, where the HAPAG-Lloyd building is situated, is also worth a peek.

Peterstraße

This street gives you a taste of Old Hamburg. It was renovated after the bombing campaigns of the Second World War. The fine brick and half-timber houses that line the street are relatively new and make use of local building materials. Peterstraße is a product of fantasy as it never existed as it does in its present form. It is only a model which incorporates a number of characteristics present in Old Hamburg.

Hummelbrunnen

At the Rademachergang near Großneumarkt, you will find the Hummel well. It was built in 1938 at the request of the Society of Native Hamburgers, and shows a real original Hamburg character, the Hummel. The water carrier Johann Wilhelm Bentz lived from 1787-1854, and walked the streets of Hamburg with his two water buckets over his shoulders. When the children mocked him and called him names like "Hummel Hummel!", he is said to have answered with the local accent version of the famous Götz von Berlichingen quotation: "Mors, Mors!". This was once a kind of catchphrase among Hamburg's people, but is no longer used.

Reesendammbrücke

This bridge, on which building commenced in 1843, links the Jungfernstieg and the Bergstraße, crossing the Kleine Alster (Little Alster). It was named after a miller whose corn mill stood here. After the bridge was completed, the Alster dam was moved to today's Town Hall lock (Rathausschleuse). Several thousand people cross the bridge on their way to work or to the shops every day, and many a piece of bread flies down the bridge along the way, which is much appreciated by the white Alster swans.

Fleetfahrten

This tour of Hamburg's Fleete, or canals, takes you to the warehouse complex at Speicherstadt by boat. You can often get a whiff of the aroma of goods stored here- such as coffee, tea, and tobacco. The tour starts and ends at the Jungfernstieg berth and takes approximately 2 hours. You pass the Alsterarkaden with its many swans and ducks on the way to the first sluice at the town hall. Later on, another sluice, the Schaartorschleuse, takes you to the river Elbe at Hamburg's port. From there the trip goes on towards the Speicherstadt. For adults, the price is EUR 15 while the fare for children up to 16 years of age is EUR 7,50. For information on arrival and departure timings, refer to the Fleetfahrten website.

Alster-Rundfahrten

The Alstertourism company's 'White Fleet' runs daily tours of the city by boat. There is a large choice of tours with a range of special features for different interests - including musical tours of the Alster lake, culinary tours and readings on board. You can also visit Hamburg's ponds and canals with smaller boats, or enjoy a romantic tour at dusk, when all the lights are turned off. The classic round trip takes about 50 minutes and shows you Hamburg's church towers, the Alsterpark and the beautiful villas on the shores of the Alster while you pass lots of canoes, sailing and rowing boats.