The 2 hour tour of UNESCO World-Heritage locations meets conveniently at the Baumwall S-Bahn metro station and leads us through many historically significant areas in Hamburg. We begin our sightseeing tour at Speicherstadt and follow through the business district Kontorhausviertel. We will cross over the canal that once separated “City-Hamburg” and the “Free Port” zone. As we make our way between marvelous sites, we will learn about Hamburg’s Free Port status and how it has helped shape the city for a period of over 800 years. In the warehouse district, we will take in the charm of the historic waterways; which run between the buildings. We will learn about the different occupations that were needed to operate, what still remains, one of Europe’s busiest trade hubs. How has time changed things here? How are the buildings being used today? Are goods from exotic places still being stored here? And, how did the new era of container ships influence this area as well as present-day Hamburg at large?
We have a glimpse from the historic warehouse district into the 21st century’s Hafen City with it’s phantastic Elbphilharmonic Hall. HafenCity has been described as one of Western Europe’s most ambitious project of urban development, we will see modern architecture on a grand scale! And if you know just where to look, we can still find a few protected buildings from the past!
The second important piece of world heritage on our tour is the Kontorhauseviertel – a business quarter made completely of red brick. Here, we will see what is known as “Red Brick Expressionism,” in the form of elaborate offices; the most famous building of which is Chile House.
Fritz Höger, the well-known Hamburg architect, was responsible for conceiving of many of these beautiful buildings. Once inside this quarter, there is also a charming marketplace to see, called Burchardplatz. On Tuesdays, you can enjoy fresh food from the countryside being brought to market here.
Further along, we will visit iconic architectural examples, such as the Sprinkenhof (which is the biggest specimen of its kind) and the Montanhof (known to some as “The Typewriter”). You will see firsthand what is meant by this nickname, and be able to stand right next to all of these pieces of Hamburg’s rich architectural heritage.
Come with us to see these unique treasures for yourself. Our route will take us to all of these places and end a few meters from one of Germany’s finest shopping districts. Together, we will visit the UNESCO World-Heritage locations and literally take a walk through the history of how Hamburg has developed into the beautiful cityscape that it is today.
