Word of UNESCO... Amen
The 26 hectares of Speicherstadt and some of the neighbor's buildings Kontorhausviertel are a dream for the most aesthetic . Original architecture, although intended to be useful, is the motto of these two adjoining neighborhoods in the second largest city in Germany.
A dream for the most aesthetic
The relationship of the one who is considered the largest warehouse complex in the world , all of them from red brick and neo-gothic style , with the nearby office district Kontorhausviertel It is what has convinced the committee of the international organization. Both are a clear historical example of how urban planning can work in favor of societies.
In a port city such as Hamburg, the designers of the German city created these two neighborhoods in the mid-19th century, just north of the merchandise unloading area where the modern district of HafenCity . First, a row of brick warehouses was created to store the spices, cocoa, fabrics and other products that the city received and that arrived at the spaces of Speicherstadt transported by boats through the canals. Following this monofunctional urban conception, in the northern part, the sale and distribution of products was negotiated from the Kontorhaus offices. The most notable by far is the chili house , German expressionism in unexpected colors and with an old paternoster elevator inside that is still active.
chili house
The vast majority of real estate Speicherstadt They are owned by the City Council, which carefully manages who awards the licenses to occupy these old warehouses. But some of its spaces are already opening up to leisure, inviting the citizens and visitors of Hamburg to discover an area hitherto little considered for entertainment.
LIVE AND DIRECT COFFEE ROASTING
Following the coffee tradition of a place where the grains that arrived at the port have been deposited for decades, Kaffeerosterei It attracts the strictest lovers of this drink and tourists in search of rest. In the spacious facilities of a renovated building that respects the original structure, homage is paid to the dark liquid in an establishment with an old flavor, who roasts the coffee before the eyes of the customers.
For coffee lovers
MULTIPURPOSE THEATER
In addition to serving as the central box office for the many musical shows of the Stage Entertainment company that are performed in Hamburg, Theater Kehrwieder combines the industrial aspect of the area with the magic of the theater stage to host events of all kinds in a space of almost 1,000 meters squares. Before tobacco was piled inside, now it celebrates seminars, dinners that cling to memory and even shootings for cinema and television . Close to Kaffeerösterei, it is well worth stopping for a few minutes to admire the facilities. The theaters where the German versions of productions such as The Lion King or The Phantom of the Opera are offered are a stone's throw away, even if you have to cross a small water distance.
EMPATHY THROUGH ART
** Dialog im Dunkeln (Dialogue in the Dark) ** is a thought-provoking experience. In completely darkened rooms, blind people guide small groups of blindfolded visitors through an exhibition based on the daily lives of people who cannot see. In this way, the lack of vision is experienced in the first person so that it discovers new forms of perception. A similar experience related to deafness has been created for a few months. The place also has a cafe/restaurant where you can dine in the dark or have a brunch in complete silence.
An artistic-sensory experiment
HORROR, FOOD AND LIFE IN MINIATURE
Despite the small size of the Speicherstadt, there is still more to do: **The Miniatur Wunderland ** is the largest miniature train in the world, worth the oxymoron; while
Fleetschloesschen is a restaurant on the water built in the space left by some old public toilets and the Hamburg Dungeon is one more franchise of those gloomy interactive shows that are successful in capitals like London and Berlin.
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Neighborhoods that do: Speicherstadt