In the city of Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany, after Berlin

 Welcome to one of the coolest cities on earth:

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(in the second-largest city in Germany, after Berlin) Hamburg, a city-state on the Elbe River is the country’s largest port and commercial center (and the second smallest of the 16 states of Germany. The characteristic individuality of Hamburg has been maintained by its people so that the city’s culture has retained its uniqueness. The city has more consulates than any other city in the world (except New York City). Shipping and trade have been Hamburg’s lifeblood for centuries. These are among the attractions that have contributed to a growing tourist industry. (Although it was badly damaged during World War II, Hamburg has succeeded in maintaining a sense of old-world grace.

+ The nucleus of the city is the Altstadt (Old Town), the former medieval settlement. Within this core there are few great buildings to remind the visitor of the city’s thousand-year history, apart from the five principal churches. Fire has destroyed almost all the older residences and warehouses. Yet, there are a few survivals of older buildings, and the layout of the old city center can still be detected in some of the street names and in the canals.

+ The Poggenmühlenbrücke (shown here) is a bridge along one of the main canals and one of Hamburg's most photogenic spots. The Water Castle sits in the middle of the water with two bridges on either side. You can see fishermen most days of the week, hoping to catch eels and carp.

+ Although it was badly damaged during World War II, Hamburg has maintained a sense of old-world grace. At the heart of Hamburg is a lake, formed by the damming of the Alster and divided by the Lombardsbrücke into the Inner Alster and the Outer Alster.

+ In the period of German partition, Hamburg handled more than half of West Germany’s foreign trade. Since 1960, Hamburg has become the site of first-class trade fairs. Many of the fairs and conventions are held at the Ernst-Merck-Halle exhibition grounds, located south of the Planten un Blomen park. Harbor and city are well served by the German railway network, and the city has a good system of buses and underground trains. To relieve the central city from long-distance traffic, a tunnel was built (opened in 1977) under the Elbe as a part of the Stockholm-Lisbon highway.

+ Hamburg entered the 20th century determined to strengthen its position as “Germany’s gateway to the world.” (After the war the victorious Allies demanded nearly all of Hamburg’s ships by way of reparation from Germany.) The prospect of expansion was shattered by the outbreak, in 1939, of World War II. When the war ended in 1945, only the most strenuous efforts could supply the elementary needs for Hamburg’s survival. Though  reconstruction proceeded, nightclubs on the Reeperbahn would became proving grounds for British rock and roll bands (most notably the Beatles).

+ With the unification of Germany in 1990 the city underwent continuing modernization.