Hamburg - Elbphilharmonie

It's not just old church architecture that I love. The Elbphilharmonie concert hall definitely caught my attention. This is another one of Hamburg's most recognizable landmarks, and I think the best view I had of it was from across the river on the day we walked through the Old Elbe Tunnel. From that vantage point, you really get to appreciate just how unusual and distinctive the building is. 

The first thing that stands out is the roofline, which looks like a series of huge waves. It's a fitting design for a building sitting right on the Elbe River. I also found the combination of old and new architecture really interesting. The original brick foundation was a warehouse which has since been repurposed to include parking, offices, and rooms for music education programs, workshops, children's concerts and rehearsals. Sitting on top of this older brick structure is the modern glass addition. (As a side note, it's interesting that the Hamburg Bunker, which I visited and wrote about earlier, has also been used to create a new and interesting feature on top of it! I wonder if there are other buildings in Hamburg like this.) 

To get up to the Plaza level, you take "the tube." Which is essentially a very long escalator that carries you from ground level and up through the building. The are a couple restaurants and a coffee bar on the Plaza level but the highlight is the outdoor balcony that wraps around the entire building. The views across the river and down the nearby canals are fantastic and it's interesting to view the surroundings from yet another perspective. 

 

On a map, Hamburg looks to be inland.
But the large and deep Elba River makes it very much an industrial port city!

The building also houses a 244-room hotel and 44 residential apartments, making it a very unique combination of cultural, commercial and residential space. 

Unfortunately, my admission didn't include access to the actual concert hall which, from photos and architectural renderings on the website, looks spectacular! I would have loved to see the inside and I suspect a performance there would be a great experience. If I'm ever there again, I would definitely book a tour at the very least. 

Copied from the Elbphilharmonie website

Even without getting to see the concert hall, I really enjoyed visiting the Elbphilharmonie. Between its unusual architecture, interesting history and incredible waterfront location, it's definitely worth a closer look. 

Hamburg - St. Michael's Church

One of the things I had on my list to see while I was in Hamburg was St. Michael's Church. I've always loved seeing old architecture, particularly churches. I'm not sure why other than the elaborateness and the attention to details is so impressive. And with St. Michael's it was a place that I kept seeing while wandering around Hamburg. Its steeple and clock tower seemed to pop up everywhere, no matter which part of the city I happened to be exploring. 

I tried to get a photo of the whole outside of the church but couldn't really get a good angle on it because it's so big and so close to other buildings. It's the largest church in Hamburg, with seating for approximately 2500 people. It's a Lutheran church, and an interesting bit of history is that it was purpose built as a Protestant church, unlike many of Europe's older churches that began as Roman Catholic places of worship. 

This is the third church to stand on this site. The first built in the 1600s, followed by a second church in the 1700s. Unfortunately, that buildiing was destroyed by fire in 1906. The present church opened in 1912, although it has since undergone repair and restoration, including work to address damage sustained during the Second World War. 

The church is built in the Baroque style, and the exterior is impressive enough, but the interior is beautiful, with incredible attention to detail, ornate carvings and decorative features throughout. Not to mention the pipe organs which I love! There is so much to look at that it's worth taking some time just to wander, take in the details, and appreciate the skill that went into it. 

But the real highlight for me was climbing the tower. At 132 meters tall, the steeple has long been an important landmark. In years past, it served as a navigation aid for ships travelling along the Elbe River, helping sailors find their way into the harbour. 

There are 452 steps to the observation platform, which sites 106 meters above the ground. I decided to tackle them on foot rather than take the elevator. The climb seemed to go on forever, and I was definitely huffing and puffing by the time I made it to the top!

Much of the climb takes you through the tower's interior, with narrow metal stairways and wooden boards underfoot, taking you past the huge bells and further upwards. It was rather dark in places and, with the wind whistling through the structure, it was a little unnerving with not another soul in sight. 

But the effort was absolutely worth it. Once I reached the observation deck, I was rewarded with an incredible panoramic view of Hamburg. You see the harbour, the Elbe River, the rooftops, more church steeples, historic buildings and the many neighborhoods stretching out in every direction. It was also interesting to pick out some of the places I'd already visited or planned to visit, such as the distinctive  Elbphilharmonie concert hall. 

Despite the wind, I took my time enjoying the vide before heading down all those stairs again. Given that it was probably the most exercise I got in Hamburg (other than all the walking!), I was glad I hadn't taken the easy way up! 

Hamburg - Hagenback Tropical Aquarium

While the kids had a birthday party to attend, I decided to take advantage of having some free time and visit the Haganback Tropical Aquarium on my own. Right beside the zoo, it was just a five-minute walk from my Airbnb. It turned out to be another highlight of my time in Hamburg!

What made this zoo particularly interesting was how different it was from many of the zoos and aquariums I've visited. Rather than the usual modern-looking displays, plain tanks and concrete surroundings, the experience started with what felt like stepping straight into a tropical jungle. There were lush plants everywhere, along with lemurs, colourful birds, reptiles, crocodiles and all sorts of other creatures.

As you continued through the exhibits, the whole atmosphere changed. Suddenly, it felt as though you were entering a submarine, with portholes providing views into the underwater world. 

This display was explaining the colors of coral.

Eventually, you came around to a huge feature tank, where you could actually see the submarine structure from the outside. It was a really clever way of designing the exhibits and made the whole experience much more immersive.

Even the cafeteria carried on the jungle theme, with plenty of tropical plants, wooden tables and chairs. And, surprisingly for a zoo or aquarium, it looked like a reasonably appealing café rather than the usual selection of somewhat uninspiring zoo food!

One thing they certainly don't take lightly is their crocodile safety precautions! Some of the warning signs were humorous but, at the time time, serious. 

It was a really enjoyable way to spend a few hours!