A bird’s eye view over Hamburg from St Michaelis

Hamburg, GermanySt. Michaelis, whose tower is perhaps the most famous landmark of Hamburg, Germany, is actually the newest of Hamburg’s main churches.

The church, with its entrance marked by St. Michael slaying a writhing devil at his feet, has an unlucky history. The first church, built in 1649, was destroyed my lightening in 1750. The 18th century church that replaced it was burned to the ground in 1906.

In 1907, the current church was built, and its tower is visible from much of the city – and its bells ring out across Hamburg.

Hamburg, GermanyLiving in Rome, I’m rather spoiled with beautiful churches at every corner of my adoptive city, so I can safely say you can give the interior a pass. But the impressive bell tower is something to visit during your time in Hamburg.

The 132 meter tower can be climbed up, or you can take the elevator up, to see unparalleled views over this northern German port city.

Hamburg, GermanyThe viewing platform is at 82 meters, and -strangely, in my opinion – tickets for the stairs or the elevator have the same elevated price.

Still, in my family we never take the elevator if the stairs up a tower are available and no one can beg out due to a broken leg.

We got a workout climbing the 449 steep steps to the top. My youngest son, a champion sprinter, decided to sprint his way to the top. The rest of the family joined him at a more leisurely pace.

Hamburg, GermanyHowever you get there, the views from the top are impressive. The platform provides a beautiful view over the city, its monuments, and its port.

Hamburg, with its port and channels and old warehouse buildings is a good city to experience from up on high. And the views from here really are excellent.

So if you’re in Hamburg with clear skies (not always a given), be sure to climb or ride up to the top of St. Michaelis for unparalleled views over the city.

And if you are lucky to get good weather, be sure to also make a visit to the beautiful Planten un Blomen Park I wrote about in an earlier post.

Hamburg, GermanyHamburg, Germany

10 Comments

  1. chillcat on June 17, 2014 at 7:44 am

    Hamburg makes me think of that great Wim Wenders film I would love to see again. Was it The American Friend with Bruno Ganz? Gorgeous man! Sorry – I forgot about the bell tower!

    • kimberlysullivan on June 18, 2014 at 8:14 am

      Oooh, I never saw ‘The American Friend’. Giving me more ideas. : ) Yes, Bruno Ganz is such a versatile actor. I hate when actors are always the same in every film, but Ganz always surprises me. Liked him in ‘Pane e tulipani’, too.

  2. evelyneholingue on June 18, 2014 at 4:08 am

    Great photos that remind me of my trips to Hamburg when I lived in France. Thaank you, Kimberly.

    • kimberlysullivan on June 18, 2014 at 8:14 am

      Yes – more of a weekend trip from Paris than from California, I’d say. : )

  3. […] other tips on what to do in Hamburg, see my earlier posts on climbing the St Michaelis bell tower  and visiting the Planten un Blomen park […]

  4. […] more Hamburg tips, see my earlier posts on the St Michaelis tower  and the Planten un Blomen park […]

  5. […] see my earlier posts on climbing Geneva’s St. Pierre’s bell tower and Hamburg’s St. Michaelis tower. And see my earlier post on […]

  6. […] my earlier posts on things to do in Hamburg, including Climbing the Michaelis church bell tower, Relaxing in the Planten un Blomen Park, Climbing aboard the Rickmer Rickmers to see what life on a […]

  7. […] This includes skyscraper tourism in modern cities, and – most commonly- church bell towers in old Europe. I’ve already written about climbing up to enjoy spectacular views from the vertigo-inducing bell towers of Notre Dame in Paris, St. Pierre’s in Geneva , the St. Peter’s bell tower in Riga, and St. Michaelis in Hamburg. […]

  8. Hamburg’s Kunsthalle | kimberlysullivan on August 2, 2016 at 7:02 am

    […] more tips on what to do in Hamburg, see my earlier posts on Climbing the Michaelis church bell tower, Relaxing in the Planten un Blomen Park, Climbing aboard the Rickmer Rickmers to see what life on a […]

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