German Courses in Hamburg

Hamburg Town Hall (Rathaus)
Very rarely have the inhabitants of Hamburg renounced their traditional architectural austerity: one of these was for the reconstruction of the Town Hall (Rathaus) of 1500, which was completely destroyed by a fire in 1842. For the reconstruction, begun in 1886, they abandoned the sober “Hanseatic” style in favor of a more showy mix of gothic, baroque and neo-renaissance. The main façade is 111 meters wide, with a 112-meter central tower depicting with 20 German emperors. Opposite the Town Hall is the immense Rathausmark, the red-brick pedestrianized square.

The Church of St. Michaelis in Hamburg
St. Michaelis, the Protestant Cathedral of St. Michael, or “Der Michel,” as the locals call it, is one of the most beautiful baroque churches in Germany, and its bell tower has always been a city landmark. At 82 meters high, since 1658, its 8-meter-diameter clock has told the residents what time it is, and sailors returning to port through the Elbe which direction to follow. For a superb view of Hamburg, students should climb up to the top of the bell tower, reachable by 453 steps or a more convenient and faster elevator.

Sant Pauli and the Port of Hamburg
Only a few people know that between 1960 to 1962, the Beatles began their musical career playing in the infamous nightspots of the Port of Hamburg and the red light district (Reeperbahn). It was in some of these places that the Fab Four developed their sound, learned to stand on stage and found the name that would make them famous.

The Kunsthalle in Hamburg
At the Kunsthalle in Hamburg, one of the world’s most romantic paintings can be found, i.e. “The Wayfarer on the Sea of ​​Fog” by Caspar David Friedrich, along with many other masterpieces of European art from the Middle Ages to today. The Kunsthalle is especially famous for the German altars of the 1300s (Maestro Bertram and Maestro Francke). Many Italian artists are also present, including Tiepolo Lorenzo Lotto, Bernini, Pontormo and Parmigianino. The museum’s most famous collections feature French and German Expressionism, but there are also many individual works by artists from other countries and periods including Rembrandt, Philip Otto Runge, Wilhelm Leibl, Max Liebermann, Max Slevogt, Edouard Manet, Edward Munch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Oskar Kokoschka, Paul Klee, Jean Arp, Otto Dix and Max Beckmann. The museum is housed in a beautiful domed building connected underground to a new building in which there are mainly works of contemporary art.

The Speicherstadt in Hamburg
The Speicherstadt (warehouse city) is the very soul of Hamburg, as well as being a beautiful complex to see. The warehouses were built between 1884 and 1888 to store goods entering and leaving the port. They are eight storeys tall, made out of red brick, resting on oak beams and embellished with turrets and other architectural elements. It is the largest warehouse complex in the world, and today they are only partly used for commerce, while cultural and entertainment activities are becoming increasingly popular there. There are several museums, including one that tells the story of the warehouses (the Speicherstadtmuseum), others dedicated to spices, the history of Hamburg, and also to the Afghan culture! Not far from the stores, one of the most interesting buildings in this area is located: the Chilehaus with the shape of the bow of a ship, built in the late 1800s.

Hafencity in Hamburg
The Speicherstadt is now integrated into the Hafencity, the new district of Hamburg planned to give new life to the unused port buildings. The redevelopment of the district is the largest example of the reconversion of a port area ever built in Europe. In the Hafencity, green spaces, bike paths, riverside benches, and futuristic buildings abound. Residents and people on their way to work walk along the Elbe to mingle with tourists sitting in one of the many bars or restaurants watching the flow of ships traveling the river.

The Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg
The Wunderland is a masterpiece of miniature art. On a scale of 1:87, the creators have reconstructed the city of Hamburg and other German towns, the Alps, Switzerland, America, and Scandinavia, and are working on Italy and France in the most inconceivable detail.

The Jungfernstieg (shopping street) in Hamburg
This street runs along the Alster Lake, which can be reached in a few minutes from the Town Hall Square, passing under the beautiful Italian porticos of the Alsterakaden. All the international luxury brands are present to meet the demands of the approximately 60,000 millionaires who live in Hamburg and those of discerning tourists every day. Hotels, bars, shopping centers and restaurants can be found here.

Germany’s paternoster lifts
In a few buildings in Hamburg, old paternoster lifts can be found. They consist of a chain of open compartments (each usually designed for two persons) that move slowly in a loop up and down inside a building without stopping. Passengers can step on or off at any floor they like. Here is a list of paternoster lifts in Hamburg that can still be used by visitors to the building.

What to eat in Hamburg
In Hamburg, pork is abundant (as in all of Germany) especially in the form of sausages: white, black, grilled, and boiled. Potatoes and sauerkraut are the obvious side dishes. While this is the typical German fare, we must not forget that Hamburg is a city of the sea and sailors, so here, seafood is king: above all northern fish, cod, mackerel, sardines, eels, and then shrimp and crabs. Diners should not miss out on a Finkenwerder Scholle, a sole cooked with bacon. Also from Hamburg’s history as a merchant city comes the abundant use of cayenne pepper, anise, paprika, cumin, bay leaf, cloves, saffron, curry powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon in its seasonings. This pecularity renders Hamburg cuisine unusual in comparison to that of most German locations. It is therefore no coincidence that the city is considered the gastronomic capital of the country. To accompany each meal is a large variety of beers, and the desserts to try include those with marzipan from nearby Lübeck and the Rote Gruetze, with raspberries, red and black currants, and cherries.