The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, on the lower Weser (57km/35mi from Bremerhaven), capital of the Land of Bremen, is one of the largest seaports and centers of sea-borne trade in Germany, carrying on a considerable trade in grain, cotton and tobacco. The Land consists of the city of Bremen and the port of Bremerhaven, which are separated from one another by a stretch of territory in Lower Saxony.
The Kunsthalle in the southeast of Bremen's old town houses 17th C. Dutch paintings, old German masters, French and Dutch painting of the 19th and 20th centuries, and works by painters in the Worpswede artists' colony.
Address: Bremen Kunsthalle, Am Wall 207, D-28195 Bremen, Germany
Hours:
January 1 to December 31: 10am-6pm; Tue:10am-9pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24)
Böttcherstrasse is an important street, known informally as "museum street". It contains a number of important buildings, some of which contain museums and galleries.
The famous 5.4 m/18ft high figure of Roland (1404) in front of the Town Hall in Bremen's Markt is the symbol of the city's freedom and independent jurisdiction.
In the picturesque Markt in Bremen is the Town Hall (with its Ratskeller), in front of which stands a famous 5.4 m/18ft high statue of Roland (1404), the symbol of the city's freedom and independent jurisdiction.
The Overseas Museum in Bremen has collections of material on natural history, trade and ethnography (South Seas, Australia, Asia), and an exhibition on Bremen's import and export trade.
January 2 to December 30: 9am-6pm; Sun:10am-6pm; Sat:10am-6pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24), New Year's Eve (December 31), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Palm Sunday - Christian, First of Muharram (Islamic New Year begins)
In Bremen's northeastern suburb of Schwachhausen is the Focke Museum (the Bremen Museum of Art and Culture), which has Bremen bygones, material illustrating the Low German way of life and a seafaring section (with a Hanseatic "kogge", or merchant ship).
January 2 to December 31: 10am-5pm; Tue:10am-9pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Day of German Unity (October 3), New Year's Eve (December 31), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24)
The New Westerburg Museum displays a collection of modern art from the past 60 years. Its collection includes pieces by Beuys, Serra and Warhol.
Address: New Weserburg Museum, Teerhof 20, D-28199 Bremen, Germany
Hours:
10am-6pm; Thu:10am-9pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Day of German Unity (October 3), New Year's Eve (December 31), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24), Good Friday - Christian
The Bremen port has 15 docks capable of taking ocean-going vessels. The most important docks are the Überseehafen, the Europahafen and the Neustädter Hafen (container terminal), all with freeport facilities. There are harbor tours from the Martinianleger (landing-stage) by the Wilhelm Kaisen Bridge.
Bremen's old town is bounded on the east and northeast by the town moat and the line of the old town walls (now laid out in gardens). Nearby can be seen a windmill, the Mühle am Wall.
Windmill on Moat Wallanlagen seen from Herdentorsteinweg Bridge in Bremen.
The Wilhelm Wagenfeld House in Bremen chronicles the life and work of Wilhelm Wagenfeld, the renowned product designer. Particular emphasis is placed on his career as it progresses from the Bauhaus into industry.
Address: Wilhelm Wagenfeld House, Am Wall 209, D-28195 Bremen, Germany
Hours:
10am-6pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), New Year's Eve (December 31), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24)
Bremerhaven lies 57km/35mi north of Bremen at the junction of the Geeste with the Weser, just before the Weser flows into the North Sea. It is part of the Land of Bremen, though separated from Bremen itself by a stretch of Lower Saxon territory. Bremerhaven is a thriving port, with the largest fishing harbor in mainland Europe and extensive docks handling ocean-going vessels, as well as an institute of marine research.
Boats at the German Shipping Museum in Bremerhaven.
The most southerly part of the port installations which extend along the Weser is the fishing harbor, where about half the whole German catch of fish is landed. It is interesting to watch the fish auctions held when the boats come in with their catches.
Worpswede, 23km/14mi northeast of Bremen, is famed as an artists' colony (Vogeler, Modersohn, Mackensen, Hans am Ende, etc.; permanent art exhibitions) and is on the Teufelsmoor.