Tourist information - Hannover
Hannover District Guide
At first glance, Hanover seems easy to grasp. However, there are quite a few corners worth another look: the old buildings at the time when Hanover was reigned by the king, the idyllic green places that you are able to relax and enjoy nature and the culturally diverse districts which are interesting to explore.
Hannover the City
In Hanover, people meet "under the tail" of the Ernst-August statue's horse in front of the Main Station. Another meeting point is the Kröpcke-clock, a couple of minutes straight ahead. There you are in the middle of Hanover's shopping district, with all the usual range of department stores. Opposite, there is more to see on Georgstrasse, in particular the Opera House. Farther, you will find the memorial for those Jewish victims of National Socialism.
Just opposite, you will find Hanover's most high-priced shopping boulevard where jewellers, perfurmeries and expensive boutiques awaiting prospective customers. In the evening, the GOP and the New Theatre offer entertainment.
On Sunday mornings during summer, people meet in the Georgstraße for the "Schorsenbummel", with music and open-air bars. This traditional "stroll" goes back to King Georg II; "Schorse" is Hanover's nickname for George.
Hannover Old TownThe so named "Hanover's stomach", the Market Hall, is known as a nice spot to buy fresh food or have a cappuccino. The old town provides a culinary variety which ranges from sophisticated dinners to a simple stew.
Small breweries such as the Brauhaus Ernst August continue Hanover's beer tradition. On Saturday mornings, a huge flea market is set up along the banks of the river Leine, between the antique Beginen tower and the colourful Nanas.
By the way, Hanover's sights are best explored along 'the line': painted in red on the pavements, it connects all major tourist destinations.
Hannover Südstadt
Traditionally, Hanover's districts are identified with social groups. According to this, the southern part of the town is inhabited by clerks and civil servants. But on its outskirts, all of Hanover likes to practise running, rollerblading, or cycling throughout the Maschsee lake; ice skating nights are organized during winter.
The vast green area starts behind the New Town Hall with the Maschpark and the "Maschteich" pond. Towards the south, Hanover's largest lake expands to 2.4 kilometre in length, there is a boat's service between the two banks.
At the southern end, little ones splash in the shallow water. In August, the idyll is interrupted for a few days: The Maschseefest, a festival with open-air stages and bars is celebrated all over the lake.
And when it is raining, visit the Sprengel Museum with its excellent exhibition of Modern Art.
Hannover Döhrener Masch
South of the Maschsee, the green area continues with the Döhrener Masch and the Ricklinger ponds. Situated near the town centre these bathing ponds are certainly popular in summer. People cook on barbeques, fly kites and have parties. Amongst the ponds is nudist, at the others bathing clothes are advisable.
Hannover Linden
This traditional working class district was one of North Germany's first industrial centres. Today, a multicultural society prevails peacefully. It is impossible to imagine Linden without Spanish restaurants and Turkish groceries. But the old natives there still speak a special Linden dialect.
The district displays the self-confident image of an independent town. The redevelopment has rendered a friendlier face to the blocks; only the shopping centre, Ihme-Zentrum, is an ugly relict of the concrete prevolence.
A positive illustration of today's culture in Linden is the listed building of the former bed spring factory Faust, now used as a concert hall and place for meetings and events. On Hanover's only natural hill, the Lindener Hill, the Jazz Club stages outstanding concerts, and there's a very popular beer garden at the top, around the Lindner tower.
Hannover Oststadt List
Many of the beautifully ornamented Art Deco houses are inhabited by media people, artists, actors or musicians, possibly the reason why this district shows a good concentration of restaurants and pubs! At the North-eastern end of the Passarelle, the subterranean arcades under the main station, the so-called Bermuda-triangle starts, a set of clubs, bars and cafés where one can easily stray.
During the day, strollers exchange greetings and glances on the Lister Meile, a shopping street leading through the district. Bordering on the East Town and extending to Kleefeld and to the Maschsee, there is Hanover's municipal forest, the Eilenriede.
Hannover Zoo
If you're keen on old patrician houses, you will find some interesting examples here. Hanover Zoo is an interesting place to visit for all. On occasion of the Expo 2000, it was expanded with areas inspired by Africa and India. In the municipal park behind the Kuppelsaal of Hanover's congress-centre, flower lovers will enjoy the remnants of the first German gardening exhibition in 1951.
Hannover Nordstadt
Formerly, the North Town was a worker's district but for decades, Hanover's students have occupied it. The University itself is a pompous building designed as a Welfen castle in 1857. But in the streets behind it, the houses are narrow and show traces of the times. A colourful mix of people congregate in student's pubs, public meeting places and squats, but the instances when punks scared the older inhabitants with "chaos days" seem to be over for good.
Hannover Herrenhäuser Gärten
Hanover's famous gardens start opposite the university. In the Georgengarten people play ball and boules or rest around the Leibniz temple. In the midst of the green meadows, the Wilhelm-Busch-Museum is a special attraction.
The Große Garten (large garden) with its garden theatre, waterfalls and fountains, is one of the most breathtaking baroque gardens in Europe. In summer, international fire works competitions, theatre and comedy festivals called Das Kleine Fest im Großen Garten (small festival in a large garden) utilize the neatly trimmed hedges and regimented flower-beds as a romantic background.
Opposite the Große Garten, the Berggarten (hill garden) presents a collection of orchids and cacti in tropical hothouses.
Evelyn Beyer
Hannover Historical Background
In 1156, the town of Hanover belonged to a Count of Lauenrode and was an unimportant place. The name “Hanovere” was given to a group of farms on the banks of the Leine and was later passed on to the market-settlement founded by Count Hildebold between 1124 and 1141.
“EGO HANOVERENSIS SUM” were the words Henry The Lion had stamped on the Hanover silver coin in 1180 - “I am a Hanoverian”. This reminds one of John F. Kennedy’s now world-famous declaration 780 years later: “Ich bin ein Berliner”, and shows that the great 12th century Welfe must have been an early fan of this town. Indeed it was The Lion who ordered that the (until that point fairly unimportant and just part of the “Welfe” since about 1168) settlement be enlarged and reinforced; a decision that showed foresight and proved very important for the town.
The small fishing settlement progressed into a town under the protection of the Dukes of Roden and was then sold to the Welfen. In 1241 Duke Otto granted the town the rights of a borough. This certificate is the oldest document of Hanover's history. By that time, Hanover had been a thriving community of established traders and craftsmen.
In the 14th century the city was fortified with a solid surrounding wall. There were three gates in the wall: the Leintor, Aegidientor and Steintor. Three gothic churches were built in the same century, Aegidienkirche, Marktkirche and Kreuzkirche. A hundred years later, the old town hall was built next to the Marktkirche, all in the common brickwork form of northern Germany.
At that time, Hanover became bigger and bigger. Its citizens were confident enough to profess their beliefs in the teachings of Luther by swearing an oath at the market square in 1533. In the Thirty Year War, in 1636, after the division of the inheritance of the rulers in the principality Calenberg, Prince George of Braunschweig and Lüneburg moved his residence to Hanover, which was relatively safe; a turning point in the good reputation for the town. The citizens failed to realise their luck and fought against the lord who would undermine their privileges.
Important trade routes from East to West, at the point where the north German lowland turns into the mountain range Mittelgebirge, were used again. The increasing significance of the North Sea harbours strengthened.
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