Hamburg: Facts and Attractions

Hamburg, whose official name is Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is Germany's second largest city (after Berlin) and is one of the sixteen federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany. The city gets its name from the first castle built on the site as per the orders of Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD. Hamburg today is North Germany's center, both culturally as well as economically. Being a trade center, the city has always had an outward and open attitude which is reflected in the attitude of the inhabitants as well.

With an area of 755 sq km (292 sq mi), Hamburg's area is seven times that of Paris and twice that of London. The living space per person in Hamburg is an average of 30 square meters per person, thereby making Hamburg the city with the largest average living space in the world. The city houses 1.7 million inhabitants, which makes it more of a state than a city. 14% of the city is made up of green spaces like parks, natural preserve areas and gardens.

What makes Hamburg a unique city is its lack of skyscrapers. Buildings possessing more than 10 floors cannot be found here. Further, it is commonly believed that Venice is the city with maximum number of bridges. However, it so happens that actually Hamburg is the leader with 2302 bridges. Small adorable canals are found running all along the city like veins in a human body. The city's port with its tanker terminals is home to all major oil refining companies.

According to the demographic facts, we know that the main ethnic groups of Hamburg are of both German as well as non-German origins. The German group comprises primarily of the Hamburgers and the Lower Saxons, while the non-German group comprises of people from Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Africa and Portugal. Moreover, the people of Hamburg are open and friendly, with a unique German accent which is considered to be greatest and coolest accent in Germany.

Hamburg: Tourist Attractions

Hamburg is one of the most popularly visited cities in Germany and offers more than 31 theaters, 50 state and private museums, 6 music halls and 10 cabarets which lure thousands of tourists every year. Some of the most popularly loved and visited tourist destinations are:

Binnenalster Lake
Binnenalster or Inner Alster is the small, centrally located part of Alster lake. This is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places that Hamburg has to offer tourists. It is also popularly loved by the locals and during the summer, the lake is flooded with sailing boats. There are boat rides that tour the Alster canals past the entire city and proves to be a wonderful way to see Hamburg.

Altona Fish Market
Another popular tourist attraction in the city is the Altona fish market, which even though is named a fish market, sells anything and everything (along with myriads of fish variety) known under the Sun. This colorful, crowded and lively market started in 1703, and takes place every Sunday from 7 in the morning till midnight. The key attraction of this market is the Fish Auction Hall, where fresh fish is sold in tonnes together. There is also a restaurant which provides lively music thereby entertaining shoppers. This market is a must-visit place for all Hamburg visitors.

Warehouse Complex
The Warehouse complex, also known as Speicherstadt in German, is around a century old and happens to be the world's oldest warehouse complex. The complex is a red brick construction with gables and turrets and is still used to store exotic goods from across the world. This complex has been transformed into a tourist attraction with the addition of an open-air theater, a miniature exhibition, a spice museum and an old Russian submarine that is open for people to explore. The complex is illuminated at night, giving it an enchanting appearance.

Blankenese
Blankenese, the picturesque destination on the north bank of the river Elbe, was once upon a time a fishing village that was favored by retired ship captains. Today, it is extremely popular amongst the local people as a weekend getaway spot. This village features a number of cafes, cinema halls, restaurants, stores and weekly markets selling fresh fruits and vegetables. Blankenese is situated on a very hilly region and is embedded with scores of steps all over the village. Hence, walking is something you have to be prepared to do when you get to this village.

Besides the above mentioned tourist spots, Hamburg is embedded with loads of other must-visit places such as the Planetarium (most up-to-date planetarium in the world), Hagenbecks Tierpark (world's first zoo with open-air enclosures), Hamburg Kunsthalle (Hamburg art museum), Hamburg harbor (biggest port in the Federal Republic of Germany and the fourth largest for bulk goods in Europe), St. Michaelis Church (Hamburg's cultural landmark), Japanese garden (the largest Japanese garden in the world). And the list goes on.

The public transport system in Hamburg is reliable and efficient, and do you don't have to worry about moving around once you get there. Enjoy the various picturesque destinations of Hamburg and capture some lifetime memories for yourself!