Tourist Attractions in Hanover, Germany

Southeast of the Kröpcke in Hannover, in the dignified Georgstrasse, stands the neo-classical Opera House (by G. L. Laves, 1845-52).

The Kestner Museum in Hannover, at the north end of the Maschpark, houses antiquities, including an important Egyptian collection, applied and decorative art.

Southwest of the Kröpcke in Hannover is the Marktplatz, in the center of the old town, with the Late Gothic Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus; 15th C.). In front of it is the graceful neo-Gothic Market Fountain (1881). In the center of the square is the Marktkirche (Market Church; 14th C.; 15th C. bronze font and carved altar), with a 97 m/318ft high tower.

To the northwest is the Leibnizhaus (1652; rebuilt).

To the east of the Maschpark in Hannover stands the Provincial Museum of Lower Saxony, with prehistoric, natural history and ethnographic collections and the Provincial Art Gallery (Landesgalerie; European art from the Romantic period to the present day).

The Helicopter Museum in Bückeberg is an unusual museum which concentrates entirely on the development and use of helicopters. Included in the collection are replicas of early German types and original examples of many types operated by civil and military authorities since 1955.

Between Knochenhauerstrasse and Burgstrasse can be found Hannover's finest half-timbered building, the Ballhof, built between 1649 and 1665 for the then-fashionable game of battledore and shuttlecock, and for concerts. It is now a theater.

World Expositions are held every four years in a designated host city. Hanover was the first German city to host an Expo. The main theme of Expo 2000 was "Humankind-Nature-Technology", a theme to promote discussion and presentations offering answers to the question of how the global community can respond to the ecological and economic challenges of the future.

Over 170 countries participated in Expo 2000.

West of the Balhof in Hannover, on the Hohes Ufer, the scene of a large flea market on Saturday, are the Beginenturm (14th C.) and the Historical Museum (1963-66; history of the town and the region, folk traditions).

Kramerstrasse, which runs west from the Markt, still preserves something of the atmosphere of old Hannover with its handsome half-timbered houses.

The hub of Hannover's life is the square called the Kröpcke, with the Kröpcke-Center, an office block almost 60 m/200ft high. The square is approached from the station by Bahnhofstrasse, with the sunken Passerelle, a shopping street 750 m/820yd long and up to 20 m/65ft wide.

On the south side of Hannover's old town, on the banks of the river, stands the Leineschloss, built in the 17th C. as the residence of Duke Georg von Calenberg and altered in neo-classical style by G. L. Laves between 1817 and 1842. Rebuilt in 1958-62, it now houses the Landtag of Lower Saxony.

The Maschsee, a lake 2.4km/1.5mi long and up to 530 m/580yd across, was created in 1934-36. It is Hannover's largest sports and recreation area (motorboat services, bathing station, sailing school, footpaths round lake). On the west side of the lake is the Niedersachsen-Stadion (Stadium of Lower Saxony; seating for 60,000), built in 1952-54 on banks of rubble from demolished buildings. In the adjoining Sportpark can be found the Stadionbad (swimming pool). On its east side are the offices of the North German Broadcasting Corporation (Norddeutscher Rundfunk, NDR).

Northwest of the Schloss in Hannover, beyond the Leine, is the 17th C. Neustädter Kirche, with the tomb of the philosopher G. W. Leibniz (d. 1716).

The main railroad station in Hannover is at the northeastern corner of the central area. In front of it can be seen an equestrian statue of King Ernest Augustus, a favorite meeting point.

The "Red Thread" is a red line in the paving in Hannover which guides visitors to 47 points of interest in the central area (some of them accessible only on foot).

To the south of the Landesmuseum in Hannover can be seen the Sprengel Museum (international 20th C. art). In front of the museum is a "stabile" by Alexander Calder.

North of the railroad station in Hannover rises the 144 m/472ft high Telecommunications Tower.

In Hannover's Trammplatz is the Town Hall (1901-13), in the style of the Wilhelmine period. It's built on a foundation of 6,026 beech piles, with a domed tower almost 100 m/330ft high that dominates the city's skyline ( fine panoramic view). In the hall are models of the town and the Hodler Room has a huge painting, "The Oath of Loyalty" (1913). On the south side of the Town Hall lies the Maschteich.

To the southeast of Hannover can be found the Trade Fair Grounds (97 hectares/240 acres), where every year at the end of April is held the Hannover Fair, one of the world's most important industrial shows. Within the grounds rises the 83 m/272ft high Hermesturm (views).

The Wilhelm-Busch-Museum in Hannover covers the life of poet and designer Wilhelm Busch, along with temporary expositions of caricatures.