Bridges Cycle Route

The free Hanseatic City of Bremen is a city in northern Germany with a major port on the River Weser. The population is 548,000. It is also the name of one of the states of Germany which consists of two separated enclaves on the River Weser.

Understand

History

Bremen was once a member of the medieval Hanseatic League and is still one of the most important cities in northern Germany. Bremen has more than 1200 years of history, and was, for most of its existence, an independent city-state.

Bremer Stadtmusikanten

The Bremer Stadtmusikanten (Town Musicians of Bremen) perhaps the most well known figures associated with Bremen are characters from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name. Their image adorns many of the souvenirs in the city. Next to the Town Hall is a much photographed statue of them.

See

• ⊙Rathaus (Town Hall). this is one of the finest in Europe and as such has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Building work started in 1410 and it is seen as an important display of the wealth and freedom of the city. Tours of the interior are conducted by the Tourist information office at 11AM, noon, 3PM and 4PM.
• ⊙ Roland , Rathausplatz. this statue on the main square, in front of the town hall is of the Knight Roland who was a protector of trade. He appears in many European cities especially those involved in the Hanseatic league. Bremen's is considered one of the finest and is included with Town Hall on the World Heritage List. The standing figure is 5.47 m tall.
• ⊙Dom St. Petri (Cathedral of St Peter). is over 1200 years old, and its huge towered façade dominates the main square. the interior is impressive with some fine painted details on the ceilings. There is a treasury displaying the collection of the cathedral. Entrance is free, for €1 you can climb the Southern Tower offering nice views over the whole city.
• ⊙Böttcherstraße. Is the incredible Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) street that runs from the main square towards the river. There are many fine façades and courtyards all with large amounts of design detail. There is an impressive Glockenspiel that chimes at regular intervals. There are lots of shops and several museums, including the impressive Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum. Haus Atlantis (now the Hilton) has an impressive spiral staircase just inside, at the top of which is the staggering Himmelshaal (unfortunately it is not normally open to the public). 
• ⊙Am Wall. is a lovely park next to the former defensive moat which offers a place to sit and relax. (updated Jan 2016)
• ⊙Schnoor. this area of twisting lanes is a lovely place to wander aimlessly looking at in the many shops and also at the world smallest hotel (see Sleep).

Museums

• ⊙Überseemuseum (Natural History and Ethnographic Museum), 13, Bahnhofsplatz D (near central station),  ☎ +49 421 16038101.  
• ⊙Focke Museum, Schwachhauser Heerstrasse 240,  ☎ +49 421 6996000. a good overview of the history of Bremen City with a wide range of collections
• ⊙Hafenmuseum Speicher XI, In the Überseestadt (Bus line 20 from railway station or tram line 3),  ☎ +49 421 3038279. Housed in a former cotton warehouse. Models of ships used during the past. 

Eat

Several cafes and restaurants line the ⊙ "Schlachte" along the Weser river while other popular areas are the marketplace and the "Viertel" ("quarter") east of the Kunsthalle. Many traditional dishes from Bremen and Northern Germany are very satisfying. The region is famous for cabbage (Grünkohl- green cabbage), fish (smoked eel, herring, smelt in March), an old sailor´s meal called Labskaus (lobscouse) consisting of mashed potatoes, corned beef, onions, fried egg and beetroot or chick ragout (very fine) as well as red fruit jelly or Butterkuchen (cake with yeast and topped with lots of butter, sugar and almonds). You can find some fish restaurants in Böttcherstraße. "Knigge" is the name of a traditional coffee house in Bremen.

Bremen culinary specialties are Knipp (smoked sausage), Labskaus, (fried corned beef with onions and mashed potatoes) and Braunkohl (leaf cabbage)

Budget

• ⊙Gasthof zum Kaiser Friedrich, Lange Wieren 13,  ☎ +49 421 326429. Closed on Sundays. Slightly smoked cut of pork with cabbage and mashed potatoes (Braunkohlteller)

Das Bremer Rathaus ist eines der bedeutendsten Bauwerke der Gotik und der Weserrenaissance in Europa. Seit 1973 Steht es unter Denkmalschutz. Im Juli 2004 wurde es zusammen mit dem Bremer Roland von der UNESCO zum Weltkulturerbe der Menschheit ernannt.

Das Gebäude ist Sitz des Senats und des Präsidenten des Senats und Bürgermeisters der Freien Hansestadt Bremen .

Der Bremer Roland, eine 1404 errichtete Rolandsstatue auf dem Marktplatz vor dem Rathaus , ist ein Wahrzeichen Bremens.

Die Figur hat eine Höhe von 5,47 Metern und steht auf einem 60 Zentimeter hohen, gestuften Podest. Im Rücken wird sie von einem Pfeiler gestützt, der von einem gotisch ornamentierten Baldachin gekrönt wird. So erreicht das Denkmal eine Gesamthöhe von 10,21 Metern und ist damit die größte freistehende Plastik des deutschen Mittelalters.

Rathaus-Führung
Montag-Samstag 11, 12, 15, 16 Uhr
Sonntag 11, 12 Uhr