In North Germany, not far from Denmark, lies Hamburg, the second most populated city in Germany after Munich. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region boasts almost five million citizens and has been a home to Germans for over a thousand years. The citizens, known as “Hamburgers”, are an interesting mix of Turkish, British, and Polish backgrounds although a large amount of people (over twenty two thousand) are of Afghanistan descent, giving Hamburg the highest population of Afghans in all of Europe. This statistic is made even more interesting when one finds that nearly half the city is Christian and the second largest religion is Islam. All the same, it is rare to find culture clashes of a large scale in Hamburg.
Hamburg is one of the most historically significant areas in Germany. Long before the word “fuehrer” ever reared its ugly head, Hamburg was the home of Emperor Charlemagne in the 800s. Throughout the years the city has been home to Protestant refugees, Portuguese Jews, and Catholic bishops. The city has withstood air raids against the Nazis, Viking attacks, Polish occupation and even the decimation of eighty percent of the population during the Black Death. Few cities in the world have seen and experienced as much as Hamburg and, to this day, the city is a virtual bevy of wonder for historians and archeologists alike, as well as for anybody interested in the beauty of German craftsmanship.
Like many old German cities, there is a wealth of historic churches that are not only fascinating but beautiful as well. Chief among these is the legendary St. Nicolas’ Church, which for a time was the tallest building in the continent! As opposed to many modern cities and rebuilt German burgs like Frankfurt, there are very few skyscrapers in Hamburg. Despite this, there is still a beautiful skyline in Hamburg because of the many tall and beautiful churches in addition to St. Nicolas’. St. James’, St. Peter’s, and St. Catherine’s all display tall, gorgeous steeples that bestow upon Hamburg a touch of classic grandeur unrivaled in many parts of Germany.
Adding to Hamburg’s stately appearance is the vast amount of canals that run through Hamburg and bring to it evocations of Venice at sunset. Interestingly enough, a visit to Hamburg may in fact make Venice pale in comparison as the twenty three hundred bridges in the city make Hamburg the most bridge filled city in the entire world! With all this outdoor beauty to marvel at, one may forget that Hamburg also has a slew of indoor entertainment as well. With over three dozen theaters, more than fifty museums, and over one hundred clubs, Hamburg’s tourism rivals that of many of Germany’s most popular towns. There were over seven and a half million overnight hotel stays in Hamburg last year. In addition, the Hamburg State Opera has been home to some of the finest performances on Earth and plays a large part in the over eighteen million concert attendees each year.
Hamburg is a fascinating melting pot of culture, religion, and history that should be seen by anybody with the means to get there. Visiting the second most populated city in Germany is a boon to anybody interested not just in history, though, but in humanity and
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