Hanover
Capital of the state of Lower Saxony
- Area: 204.01 km2
- Location: on the river Leine
- Climate: temperately continental climate
- Population: 522,944 (as of 2007)
- People: German
- Language: German
- The main religions and beliefs: Christian
- Currency and monetary unit: Euro
- Administrative demarcations: 13 districts, 51 quarters
A modern city, a state capital with groundbreaking architecture and a model infrastructure, surrounded by idyllic little towns and villages - this is Hannover location with all its exciting and alluring contrasts. Some 40 different theatres, numerous museums and a worldfamous State Opera hold out the promise of some thrilling moments at performances on the highest level. Equally attractive are the Herrenhausen Gardens, the maritime atmosphere of the Maschsee Lake, the great diversity of sporting events and open-air concerts, and the large number of fairs and popular festivals. The Old Town has many a picturesque corner inviting passers-by to linger, while the exotic landscapes of Hannover’s Adventure Zoo are sources of fascination for all the family. Those whose delight it is to go shopping will find that Hannover has one of Germany’s longest pedestrian zones, while in many of the region’s smaller towns the historic half-timbered buildings provide charmingly atmospheric backdrops for shopping expeditions. All around there are a wealth of recreational areas such as Lake Steinhude, the Deister Hills, Calenberger Land or the valley of the River Leine, offering a wide diversity of leisure activities out in the open air.
As a city of trade fairs and events, Hannover is easily and conveniently accessible via Hannover Airport, the A2 and A7 motorways or German Rail’s network of ICE high-speed trains. And the whole region is connected together by a comprehensive system of public transport. You are cordially invited to come and spend a marvellous time in Hannover.
A city center with an exclusive atmosphere
These superior addresses are continued in Luisenstrasse and Theaterstrasse. And everywhere there are restaurants and bistros luring shoppers to take a break. No-one can fail to notice the trend towards a new coffee culture: the seductive smells of latte macchiato or espresso waft from 1,400 cafés, 100 of them within the central area.
An idyll of half-timbered buildings
Shopping in the area around the Market Church is a particular pleasure. The historic centre (Altstadt) of Hannover with its picturesque half-timbered houses has a very special atmosphere that quickly captivates tourists. Bistros and pubs, elegant boutiques, art galleries, antique dealers and little specialist shops give the idyllic streets of timber-framed buildings their own unmistakable charm.
All points of the compass
Hannover Region often surprises its visitors with the unexpected quality of shopping experiences outside the city. Come and discover charming Wedemark to the north, with its historic town centres, or stroll through the shopping centres in Lehrte, to the east of Hannover. To the south, Springe, on the edge of the Deister ridge, is an attractive location, and the town of Wunstorf to the west is also well worth a visit, particularly in view of its proximity to Lake Steinhude.
Shopping – individuality and convenience
Hannover’s pedestrian zone is one of the longest in Germany and includes one of the country’s most popular shopping streets, as a national survey has shown. There is indeed hardly any other city with so many shopping opportunities so close together. Every type of retail outlet is represented in Hannover city centre.
All around Kröpcke
All around the central square called Kröpcke, locals and tourists enjoy the successful blending of elegant, exclusive shops with the glittering world of the big department stores. Niki de Saint Phalle Promenade, Kröpcke Passage and Galerie Luise offer a diverse mix of shops to meet all of life’s requirements. Opposite the Opera House, haute couture and high-class jewellery attract shoppers to Georgstrasse, the exclusive boulevard where the people of Hannover love to stroll.
Herrenhausen is my life
The art of European horticulture over three centuries
The City of Hannover owes the brightest jewel in its crown to an out-of-the-ordinary woman: the world-famous baroque gardens of Herrenhausen were created by Sophia, Princess Palatine of the Rhine, who was Electress of Hannover from 1692 to 1714. The baroque Great Garden (Grosser Garten) and the adjacent George Garden (Georgengarten), a landscape garden in the English style, together form a grand display of the art of European horticulture over a period of three centuries on an area measuring almost two kilometres from end to end. Opposite them is the Hill Garden (Berggarten), which has developed into a botanical display garden of international standing; between 500 and 800 orchids in resplendent bloom can be admired there at any time of the year.
The Great Garden – a festive hall out of doors
Just as the ladies and gentlemen of the court once used to do, today’s visitors too stroll pleasurably between the richly ornamented beds, which on summer evenings are festively illuminated. Springing water babbles in hidden corners, while the Great Fountain rises to an impressive height of 70 metres. In summer the gardens become a dream backcloth for the concerts and performances of musicals and drama that make up the Herrenhausen Festival Weeks; at the annual International Firework Competition the pyrotechnists paint fantastic pictures in the air; and at the “Little Festival in the Great Garden” dancers, mime artists and musicians turn the gardens with all their ramifi cations into an enormous open-air stage.
Niki's magic world
In Herrenhausen is to be found the final love token given to the people of Hannover by the world-famous artist Niki de Saint Phalle: LA GROTTE. She created this unique work in a 325-year-old grotto in the baroque Great Garden; it is a place of enchantment that exerts a magic attraction on Niki’s fans from all over the world. Mosaics composed of mirrors, pebbles and coloured glass come together to give visitors an absorbing sensuous experience; constantly changing light conditions disseminate a mystic atmosphere that captivates children and adults alike.
Festivals and festivities
Temperament and joie de vivre
Hannover‘s countless popular festivities and music events prove to be enormous draws year after year. In the green expanses of the Region, cherished traditions come alive at the many idyllic local Marksmen’s Fairs, Harvest Festivals and town and village festivities that are celebrated every year.
In the Arena and on the street
Rock and pop fans flock to Hannover for the big open-air concerts in the AWD Arena or on the Gilde Park Stage. On Ascension Day, the city becomes a metropolis of jazz when the fans celebrate “enercity swinging hannover” outside the New Town Hall. At the Spring Festival, the Oktoberfest and of course the biggest Markmen’s Fair in the world, hundreds of thousands have a wonderful time on the rides and in the marquees. The famous Parade of the Marksmen through the city centre is more than a kilometre long. And the Maschsee Lake Festival is another of northern Germany’s most successful popular festivities.
When the lake is lit up
The summer highlight on and by Lower Saxony’s largest lake is “Steinhude Festive Weekend”, with a dreamlike backcloth of illuminated boats, an aerial fi rework display and numerous attractions onshore. At the lawnmower tractor race in Thönse, daredevil drivers compete against each other every year on souped-up lawnmower tractors. Everywhere in the Region there are delightful spots where agricultural traditions are still maintained. As one of Germany’s biggest onion-growing areas, the district of Uetze celebrates a special festival dedicated to this crop. And the historic Free Shooting competition, which evokes the peasants’ and citizens’ militias of the Middle Ages, has been celebrated in Wennigsen, on the edge of the Deister Hills, for 150 years.
Made in Hanover
A strong location
In business matters, Hannover is an all-rounder; the capital of Lower Saxony is an industrial location, a services centre and a market-place, and it also hosts the biggest trade fairs in the world. Traders, craft businesses and industry supply national and international markets from here. World-famous companies such as TUI, Bahlsen, Komatsu Hanomag, Solvay, Sennheiser electronic, KIND hearing aids, Rossmann and BREE are based here. In the automotive industry Hannover is home to a number of technological leaders, such as Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Continental, Johnson Controls and WABCO.
Great names by the River Leine
Major insurers and financial service providers such as the Talanx Group, VGH, Hannover Re, VHV or AWD have their headquarters here, providing for security in the future. In the fi nancial sector, Nord/LB and Sparkasse Hannover are amongst northern Germany’s leading banks. In the media area, the players of more than regional importance include the Madsack and Schlütersche publishing houses and the television programme-maker TVN. Norddeutscher Rundfunk, with its State Broadcasting House, and the private radio stations Hit-Radio Antenne, ffn and Radio 21 all broadcast from Hannover, and media specialists train at the ARD.ZDF medienakademie.
Structures that promote success
Thanks to the World Exposition EXPO 2000, Hannover has one of the best communications infrastructures in the world. More and more start-up businesses are exploiting this advantage and are coming up with business ideas that sharpen the profi le of Hannover as a business location. hannoverimpuls, the economic development agency of the City and Region of Hannover, assists companies as a competent, unbureaucratic partner. Some ten million people live in the catchment area of Hannover’s Langenhagen Airport, from where they can travel to destinations throughout the world. And Hannover is also becoming more and more important as a freight traffi c hub: German Rail has invested more than €41 million in Seelze marshalling yard, which occupies a leading position in Germany.
For more information please click Welcome to Hannover
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©Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH 2008
