Hamburg - Inner Alster

(Local Name: Binnenalster) The townscape of Hamburg owes its particular charm to the large basin of the Binnenalster, in the center of the city, round which run the elegant Jungfernstieg (with the Alsterpavillon cafe and the landing-stage used by the Alster boats) and the Ballindamm (with the offices of the Hapag-Lloyd shipping line, founded in 1847 as HAPAG). To the west of the Neuer Jungfernstieg, in Dammtorstrasse, is the State Opera House (Staatsoper; 1855).