Places of Interest – Hannover

The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen are one of the best preserved baroque gardens in Europe. The 4,200 metre “Red Thread”, a painted line on the road surface, is an excellent way of exploring the city's sights: the New Town Hall and Old Town Hall, Old Town, the Leineschloss state government building, the various museums and the Hannover State Opera. There are impressive panoramic views of the town from the New Town Hall. A curving lift takes you up to the dome of this magnificent edifice dating from the period of Kaiser Wilhelm.

Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen

The most important styles and genres of landscape design are authentically represented here: the baroque garden in the French style, the English landscaped garden and the botanical garden. On a 135 hectare plot, Electress Sophia created the Great Garden, the Berggarten and the Georgengarten in the 17th century. Together they form a jewel of garden architecture - the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen.

New Town Hall

The New Town Hall was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the opulent style of the Wilhelmenian époque. The dome with its golden top rises an impressive 97.73 metres above the park. A curving lift whisks you up at a crazy angle to the lofty viewing platform from where you have a splendid view over the whole of Hannover. Four large models of the city in the main hall show how the face of Hannover has changed over the centuries: 1689, 1939, ruins in 1945, and today.

Historic Old Town

Here you can breathe the city‘s history: the historic timber-framed buildings of the Old Town are among the very special sights of the city centre. The imposing Market Church and the Old Town Hall are the most southerly examples of the redbrick Gothic style which is typical of northern Germany. Wander through picturesque narrow streets and discover exclusive boutiques and inviting cafés and restaurants. Among the most pleasant squares in the Old Town is Ballhofplatz, where there is also a theatre, and where openair parties take place in the summer. A few yards further on you can relax in secluded spots on the banks of the River Leine.