St. Pauli district and other attractions of Hamburg

Hamburg is one of the top German travel destinations which, therefore, has lots of things to see. But there is one place which is known not only in the city, but also outside Germany. The place is the central St. Pauli district, named after the church which used to stand here.

One of the district's oldest attractions is Fischmarkt – fish market standing by the Elbe river. Some time ago it celebrated its 300th anniversary. In fact, there were two markets standing side by side and constantly competing: one in Hamburg, another close to the city border. The markets were united in 1934 and one thing that reminds people of the former competitors is the statue of two centaurs fighting for one big fish. Nowadays the market is around 1 kilometer long. People arrive here to shop for fish, fresh and smoked, as well as poultry, fruits, vegetables, pastries, souvenirs and what not. There are even performances organised at the market.

The second attraction Hamburg is known for is its Reeperbahn (“Rope Walk”) street and the adjoining districts. First entertainment venues appeared on the street in the beginning of the 19th century. Nowadays there are around 400 of them here, and no wonder why the street is called “the sinful mile”. Well, there are also some museums, theatres, cafes, bars, restaurants, hotels. Who would have thought that Reeperbahn was founded for other purposes? As seen from its name, there was a rope manufacture situated on the street. Workers produced ropes for ships and then transported them to the port. Then a number of houses were built and since sailors arriving to Hamburg wanted some entertainment, venues of the kind appeared on the street. Note that it used to be the centre for theatre arts as well: the first theatre appeared on Reeperbahn in 1840. Five of seven theatres were left.

It is here, in Reeperbahn, that the legendary Beatles started their triumphant “procession” around the world. In 1962 they played at the «Star-Club» (Große Freiheit street) . Year later the club became the renowned rock centre. A walk along Reeperbahn can be started with the Reeperbahn station. But, unlike an excursion around Fischmarkt which is best in the morning, you are advised to arrive to the Reeperbahn in the evening.

Hamburg's port is by far the most beautiful part of the city: Elbe river with its numerous ships, picturesque river bank, parks, unusual buildings and much more. Start your trip with the Baumwall station, then go to the Steinhöft bank. One of the district's most remarkable things are its locks and the pumping station which was constructed after the devastating flood of 1962. In spite of its small size, its really important: during the flood it pumps the water from Alster to the Elbe river. Other things to see here are the Schaarmarkt, «Gruner und Jahr» publishing house and St. Michaeliskirche (or Saint Michael's Church).

Krameramtswohnungen is a flat that used to belong to a trader. Nowadays it houses a small museum. By the way, it was also called “the house of the 20 widows” and hosted traders' widows. Unfortunately in the XVII century a trader's family could not inherit his property, so they were often left absolutely penniless. But here they found their escape.

And finally,Sankt Michaelis – this is one of the most significant Lutheran churches in the city, often called the symbol of Hamburg. Built in 1661, it burnt down in 1750. The new building was constructed in 1750 by the project of Ernst Georg Sonnin, and then once again reconstructed after the bombings of 1943 and 1945. The church used to accommodate the largest pipe organ in the world – unfortunately, it was destroyed during the war.