The City Centre and the Town Hall

Not only the historical centre of Hamburg is situated between the Main Station and Gänsemarkt but also shopping destinations of international reputation. Whether you take a stroll through the dozen of roofed shopping galleries or promenade on the shopping boulevards Mönckebergstrasse, Spitalerstrasse and Neuer Wall - almost nothing is left to be desired. In the Thalia Theater, the Deutsches Schauspielhaus and the Opera, theatre fans experience top performances in stagecraft. And also the mile of arts museums between Alster and Oberhafen tempts you to dream.

Jungfernstieg

Jungfernstieg on the Alster has been Hamburg's shopping and promenade street for a long time already. Formerly, families had a walk here on Sundays and took out their unmarried daughters ("Jungfern" = damsels). Nowadays it's all about shopping in big department stores and exquisite shops here.

The passage of the Hamburger Hof is also situated at Jungfernstieg here. At this place, shopping becomes culture: the big and the small exquisite shops here almost outperform each other with their exclusive offers. Further preciosities along Jungfernstieg street: shoe, leather and travelling accessories, the popular "Alsterhaus" and traditional houses like the "Streit's"-cinema. And after that? Very simple, because finally the Binnenalster is directly at Jungfernstieg street where the ships are waiting for you at the Alster quay...

Rathaus (Town Hall)

After the Town Hall of Hamburg had burnt down completely in 1842, the council temporarily moved into auxiliary premises - for 55 years!

The new Town Hall was inaugurated in 1897 and has more than 647 rooms and was erected on more than 4000 oak poles. Completely the contrary of the Hanseatic style the Town Hall shines with an elaborately decorated facade which is seamed by 20 emperor statues. Above the main port it is written in Latin: "The descendants shall aim to maintain the freedom which was achieved by the ancestors with dignity."

Churches

The image of the city of Hamburg is marked by the towers of the main churches St. Katharinen, St. Petri,  St. Jacobi, St. Nikolai and St. Michaelis - the most important baroque church  building in the Northern Germany.

The foundation stone of St. Petri at today's shopping mile Mönckebergstrasse was already laid in the 12th century. After the Great Hamburgian Fire in 1842 it reerected.

Worth seeing, in St. Jacobi, besides the Arp-Schnitger-organ, is also the altar mosaic after a design by Oskar Kokoschka in St. Nikolai church at Hopfenmarkt (Hops Market) which was destroyed in World War II. The tower of the ruin remained as a memorial. However, you enjoy a fantastic view over the city from Hamburg's landmark St. Michaelis - the "Michel" church in the evening hours.