Speicherstadt

HISTORY

In 1881/82, the customs union treaty between Hamburg and the Reich was negotiated and concluded. Hamburg lost its customs privileges, but was allowed to exclude large parts of the port from the city area as a duty-free enclave. Suitable warehouses and storage facilities now had to be created for goods of all kinds.

For the construction of the approx. 1.5-kilometre-long Speicherstadt in the free port, approx. 20,000 people were resettled within a few years. Construction work began with the demolition of the houses on Kehrwiederinsel in 1883. The picturesque baroque quarter with merchants’ canals and workers’ harbours was thus completely lost. The picturesque baroque quarter with its merchants’ canals and workers’ harbors was thus completely lost. Behind this medieval backdrop, however, were prefabricated iron skeletons and other state-of-the-art achievements of the time, such as hydraulically operated winches and electric lighting.

Each block is accessible both from the streets and from the canal side. The buildings rest on oak piles driven deep into the Elbe mud. A total of about 3.5 million wooden piles made of Prussian pine were driven into the subsoil, usually 12 m deep. All the warehouses have two hatches for picking up or setting down the goods. The goods are still transported vertically by winches. The various warehouse buildings were given a uniform, neo-Gothic brick dressing by F.A. Meyer. Many architectural details such as turrets, blind niches and friezes as well as ceramic ornaments and glazed stones lend the Speicherstadt a special charm. With its island location, its bridges over the Zollkanal and the canals, the Speicherstadt lends Hamburg’s cityscape a further distinctive character.

Wasserschloss © ELBE&FLUT / Heinz-Joachim Hettchen

SPEICHERSTADT

The largest warehouse complex in the world founded on wooden piles.

For over a hundred years, the neo-Gothic brick architecture has offered one of the most striking views of the Hanseatic city. The Speicherstadt is considered the main attraction of any harbour tour. The trip across the narrow canals in one of the small harbour launches is a “must” for visitors from all over the world. Only from the water can many of the architectural details of this former cathedral of goods be discerned. The Speicherstadt as a structurally closed ensemble of warehouses and storage facilities also offers a fascinating, often fairytale-like and theatrical atmosphere. The Speicherstadt has been a listed building since 1991.

More and more service agencies are moving in where spices, coffee, wood and cotton had their historical storage place. It is almost only the carpet dealers who still remind us of the characteristic old economic forms.

These firms, active in the import and export of oriental carpets and serving not only the European market from here, but also supplying overseas and as far as Australia and South Africa, still have a strong presence. Hamburg and the Speicherstadt still represent the largest carpet trading centre in the world.

Hamburg, Speicherstadt, Block Q, H u. O, Neuerwegsbrücke, Eis

BRIDGES

Brücken der Speicherstadt

Poggenmühlenbrücke
Holländischfleetbrücke
Wandrahmfleetbrücke
Wandbereiterbrücke
Kornhausbrücke (to the city)
Jungfernbrücke (to the city)

Kannengießerbrücke
Kannengießerortbrücke
Neuerwegsbrücke
Pickhubenbrücke
Brooksbrücke Sandbrücke
Kehrwiedersteg
Brooksbrücke (to the city)

Sandthorquai-Hof © ELBE&FLUT / Heinz-Joachim Hettchen

NOWADAYS

A visible change is also taking place in Speicherstadt. Where once barges, ewers and other watercraft crowded, today launches with tourists sail through the canals.

Coffee, tea and spices
The Speicherstadt smells of coffee, tea and spices. Many a Hamburg merchant became rich with such exotic goods. They are still stored on the storage floors, where massive walls provide optimal climate control. Right next to it, numerous commercial agencies have their offices.

The carpet trade
Hamburg has been the most important international trading center for oriental carpets for decades – thanks to the Speicherstadt. Here, retailers will find sufficient suitable space for storage and presentation.

Modern services
An office near the harbor, which is at the same time within sight of the city hall? Rooms in historic warehouses, equipped with the latest technology and sophisticated interior design? This mix inspires and convinces media companies, advertising agencies and other modern service providers. Even small companies or start-ups will find their dream office in the completely renovated Kontorhäuser. The small excellently equipped and absolutely efficient office spaces stand up to any comparison with “off the shelf” offices. Moreover, they are quickly available.

New uses
New tenants are also constantly discovering ways to use Speicherstadt real estate. Fashion and textiles are making their way into the Speicherstadt. Showrooms, sales and presentation areas in a characteristic manner enliven the quarter. Gastronomies and restaurants provide for the physical well-being of the guests.

Culture and attractions
The Speicherstadt is increasingly a place for culture. Exhibitions and entertainment, open-air theater and musical school attract the curious to the unique area. The Miniature Wonderland alone attracted more than 2 million visitors. The Hamburg Everyman has become a “cult” event. Stage Entertainment’s musical school is known beyond Germany’s borders, and the same goes for the musicals produced there.

Recently, a modern parking garage for customers, tenants and visitors has been located in one block of the Speicherstadt. You can find the parking garage in the Speicherstadt in the street “Am Sandtorkai 6-8”.

Erstes Verwaltungsgebäude der HFLG. © ELBE&FLUT / Heinz-Joachim Hettchen

HIGHLIGHTS

Deutsches Zollmuseum
In the old customs office “Kornhausbrücke” customs history from ancient times to the present is gathered: Documents, smuggling hiding places, uniforms and relics from the offices of days gone by. Even a disused customs cruiser can be seen. Around 2,000 exhibits ranging from A for agricultural duties to Z for customs seals convey lively contemporary customs history on 800 square meters.

Alter Wandrahm 16 20457 Hamburg
Phone +49 40‑3008 76–11 Fax +49 40‑3008 76–20
www.museum.zoll.de

museum@zoll.de

Admission and guided tours 2 euros, children and youth up to 17 years free of charge

The German Customs Museum is barrier-free.

Tuesday to Sunday 10.00-17.00
Monday closed

DIALOGHAUS HAMBURG gGmbH
Meaningful darkness: blind and visually impaired people open the eyes of visitors and show them a world that is not poorer, but merely different. In this exhibition on the discovery of the invisible, there is nothing to see, but much to discover. For those accustomed to the light, it is a fascinating and irritating journey that appeals to the senses and touches the soul.

Alter Wandrahm 3, 20457 Hamburg
Bookingline: 0700 44332000 (max 12 Ct./Min.)
www.dialog-im-dunkeln.de
info@dialog-im-dunkeln.de

Admission: children 6 euros, adults 14 euros, reduced 9 euros, families 38 euros

Since the exhibition can only be visited guided, a reservation by phone is required! The tours last 60 or 90 minutes.

Tuesday to Friday 9.00 – 17.00
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 11.00-19.00
Monday closed

HafenCity InfoCenter
The future on a scale of 1:500 – the HafenCity InfoCenter in the former boiler house shows everything worth knowing about the most important urban development project in Hamburg and will continuously accompany the planning process. The centerpiece is an 8 x 4 meter model of the platted area.

Am Sandtorkai 30, 20457 Hamburg
Phone +49-40–36901799
www.hafencity.com
info@hafencity.com

Admission free

Tuesday to Sunday 10.00-18.00
Monday closed
From May to September extended opening hours: Thursday 10-20 h

Hamburg Dungeon
History, excitement, fun: The Hamburg Dungeon takes its visitors into the gruesome realms of Hamburg’s past, as the very name Dungeon suggests. The 2,200 square meters of the creepy dungeon are designed down to the last detail and peppered with scary effects and technical refinements.

Kehrwieder 2, 20457 Hamburg
Phone +49-40–36005500 . WK: +49-40–30051512
www.hamburgdungeon.com
info@hamburgdungeon.com

Admission prices: from 15,95 Euro (children) to 19,95 Euro (adults)
Not suitable for small children. Children under 14 are admitted only when accompanied by an adult.

Monday to Sunday 11.00 – 18.00 (last admission)
In July and August 10.00 – 19.00

Miniatur Wunderland
H0 as the scale of all things: This layout of miniaturized superlatives is one of the largest model railroads in the world. Nevertheless, it is not only rail traffic that can be marveled at here, but the very special everyday life between reality and fantasy. A daily routine is simulated in 15-minute intervals and the blue hour settles over the wonderful miniature land.

Kehrwieder 2, Block D, 20457 Hamburg
Ticket hotline (TZH): +49-40–30051505
www.miniatur-wunderland.de
info@miniatur-wunderland.de

Admission: 6 to 12 euros

Monday to Friday 9.30 – 18.00
Tuesday 9.30 – 21.00
Saturday 8.00 – 21.00
Sunday, holidays 8.30 – 20.00

Speicherstadtmuseum
A museum to touch! Griepen, rubber bales, coffee sacks and tasting dishes: in the authentic setting of a 100-year-old warehouse, the Speicherstadt Museum displays typical goods and tools from the traditional warehouse companies and trading houses of the Speicherstadt. Historical photos and plans illustrate the history of this unique architectural monument.

St. Annenufer 2, 20457 Hamburg
Phone +49 40–321191 Fax +49 40–321350
www.speicherstadtmuseum.de
info@speicherstadtmuseum.de

Admission fee: 3.50 Euro, reduced 2.50 Euro

Opening hours
April 1-October 31: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
November 1 to March 31: Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.
Group tours are also possible outside regular opening hours

Spicy’s Gewürzmuseum
The Spice Museum loves it spicy: More than 800 exhibits from five centuries illustrate the history of spices from preservation to flavor enhancement of food. Without any danger you can smell, feel and let melt on your tongue about 50 spices and kitchen herbs. From the cultivation of spices to the finished product, the processing is made clear.

Am Sandtorkai 32, 20457 Hamburg
Phone +49 40–367989
www.spicys.de
mail@spicys.de

Entry fee: 3.50 Euro, children 1.50 Euro
Opening hours:
July to October: Tuesday to Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
Mondays closed

Coffee show roastery
In the coffee show roastery you can consume a delightful coffee with a delicious piece of homemade cake, look over the roasters’ shoulder or learn about rare coffees. To get a perfect coffee in the cup, a multitude of human influences are needed. All steps require a lot of care, experience and passion. In a rustic ambience, you can get an idea of how interesting the product “coffee” is. The operators produce themselves and also sell locally.

The Coffee Museum Burg in the Gourmet Warehouse
In the only vaulted cellar in the Speicherstadt, hundreds of objects from the Burg Collection have created a world where you can learn all about the prima donna of crops. Coffee is the favorite drink of Germans and many other nations. Take a journey from cultivation all over the world to the Hanseatic trade office and the store from grandma’s time. Discover the different preparation methods and enjoy good, traditionally roasted coffee.

In the only vaulted cellar in the Speicherstadt, hundreds of objects from the Burg Collection have created a world where you can learn all about the prima donna of crops. Coffee is the favorite drink of Germans and many other nations. Take a journey from cultivation all over the world to the Hanseatic trade office and the store from grandma’s time. Discover the different preparation methods and enjoy good, traditionally roasted coffee.

Start your journey with the legend of the discovery of coffee. Learn how much manual labor goes into growing, harvesting and processing the coveted beans. Tools and machines, roasters and grinders, filters and pots, advertising and curiosities, tableware and furniture convey the diversity that the subject of coffee offers.

Even coffee experts and collectors have their special pleasure when you marvel at old advertisements and publicity of various coffee brands from the last 100 years.

Hamburg, Speicherstadt, Illumination Block V und X

FACTS

Size of the Speicherstadt:
— ca. 300.000 sqm total
– 100,000 sqm office and account use
– 170,000 sqm warehouse and showroom use
– 30,000 sqm Culture and Events
– and the multi-storey car park with approx. 20,000 sqm.

The warehouses in the Speicherstadt from 1888 are arranged alphabetically.

Bridges of the Speicherstadt:
Poggenmühlenbrücke
Holländischfleetbrücke
Wandrahmfleetbrücke
Wandbereiterbrücke
Kornhausbrücke (to the city)
Jungfernbrücke (to the city)
Kannengießerbrücke
Kannengießerortbrücke
Neuerwegsbrücke
Pickhubenbrücke
Brooksbrücke Sandbrücke
Kehrwiedersteg
Brooksbrücke (to the city)

Canal names:
Kehrwiederfleet — Brooksfleet
Kleines Fleet
Wandrahmsfleet
Holländischbrockfleet
St. Annenfleet
Wandbereiterfleet
Zollkanal

Speicherstadt blocks:
Block W
Block P
Block V
Block O
Block M
Block N
Block D
Block E
Block L
Block X
Block G
Block H
Block S
Block U
Block Q
Block R

Street names in the Speicherstadt:
Kehrwieder
Brook
Neuer Wandrahm
Alter Wandrahm
Brooktorkai
Dienerreihe
Holländischer Brock
Bei St. Annen
St. Annenufer
Kannengießerort
Pickhuben
Am Sandtorkai
Kibbelsteg