Happy birthday, Hamburg Port!
Hamburg is celebrating the 829th anniversary of its renowned port. Every year, the event draws about a million people, who gather along the river Elbe to take a look at one-of-a-kind parade involving hundreds of ships.
Unique parade
Every year in May, hundreds of thousands of people flock to the promenades along the Elbe River in Hamburg to catch a glimpse of a unique ship parade. Hundreds of cruise ships, sailing vessels and tugboats from across the world take part in the parade as part of the anniversary celebrations.
Long tradition
It is said that the port anniversary celebrations date back to the days of the 12th-century emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. The ruler granted a tax exemption on trade in the Hamburg port area on May 7, 1189 — a decision that gave a major boost to the city's fortunes. More than 800 years later, the day is still celebrated as the birth of Hamburg's port.
'Graceful' tugboats
Hamburg's port anniversary festivities are incomplete without the popular tugboat ballet. It's a real spectacle to see tugboats make their pirouettes at 500 horsepower to the strains of classical music.
South African cuisine
This year’s partner country for the harbor festival is South Africa. Helen Zille, the premier of South Africa's Western Cape province, joined Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher to officially ring in the world's biggest harbor festival with a ship’s bell. Visitors got to relish culinary delicacies from the South African province like biltong and wines.
Gateway to the world
The River Elbe has for long been Hamburg's gateway to the world. It's Hamburg's main waterway and connects the city to the North Sea. The Elbe is one of the main reasons for Hamburg's economic prowess and multicultural vibe.
Eye-catching 'Elphi'
The Elbe Philharmonic Hall, which was thrown open to people in January, last year, is now a trademark of Hamburg's skyline. The impressive piece of architecture, which the locals affectionately call the "Elphi," is already among the most visited sites in Germany. Last year, some 4.5 million visitors flocked to its viewing platform to enjoy panoramic views of the harbor.
World Heritage Site
A defining feature of the port city is its warehouse district or "Speicherstadt." Constructed between 1885 and 1927, the "Speicherstadt" is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is considered to be the largest uniform collection of warehouses in the world.