Neighbourhood Profile: Hamburg-Mitte

Hamburg-Mitte

Neighbourhood profile: Hamburg-Mitte

The heart of the big city

Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg's most central district, crosses the city area transversely from west to east. It includes not only Hamburg's inner city, but also a large part of the famous Hamburg harbour, the eastern part of the city as well as the district of Finkenwerder on the outskirts. The three North Sea islands belonging to Neuwerk, which are 120 kilometres away and lie just off Cuxhaven in the Elbe estuary, are also under the jurisdiction of Hamburg-Mitte. A total of 19 districts belong to the borough. In contrast to many other districts that used to form independent localities and were only later annexed to the city area, most areas in Hamburg's Mitte district have been part of the city for many centuries. The district is home to numerous sights and is therefore a popular attraction for tourists visiting the metropolis on the Elbe. In 2010, it was also awarded the title "Place of Diversity" by the federal government, which is given to regions that live a distinct cultural diversity. A large proportion of the inhabitants, almost 50%, have a migration background.

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Hamburg-Mitte at a glance

Population

301,543 (as of December 31, 2019)

Area

142.2 km²

Population density

2,121 inhabitants / km²

Highlights in Hamburg-Mitte

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Concert hall in the HafenCity quarter of Hamburg on the Grasbrook peninsula of the Elbe River.

Hamburg Speicherstadt

The world's biggest historical warehouse complex, situated in the city's harbour.

Hamburg city hall

Seat of local government of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

Port of Hamburg

Known as Germany's "Gateway to the World" the port of Hamburg is the country's largest seaport by volume.

Hamburg Reeperbahn

A street and entertainment district in St. Pauli, the Reeperbahn is known as epicentre for Hamburg nightlife.

Lifestyle

Hamburg's exciting city centre

Hamburg's third-largest district, home to most of the city's districts in its 140 km² area, forms the pulsating and lively heart of the Hanseatic city. A total of about 300,000 people live here, sharing the urban area with the many tourists who are regularly drawn to the city centre. Due to its size alone, the central district is characterised by a high degree of diversity and includes, on the one hand, well-known and popular districts such as Hamburg-Altstadt and -Neustadt, where things are lively, the famous St. Pauli with its amusement mile Reeperbahn or St. Georg, and, on the other hand, middle-class areas such as Horn, Hamm, Finkenwerder or Billstedt. Although more than 100 km away from Hamburg, the North Sea islands Neuwerk, Nigehörn and Scharhörn with their total of just 40 inhabitants also belong to the district. Cultural diversity and numerous shopping opportunities as well as restaurants and cafés are available in St. Georg between the Alster and the main railway station, while the newly developed Hafen-City district is giving the district new impetus.

The centre of the Elbe metropolis

The district of Hamburg-Mitte is not only the location of numerous sights, but also a place characterised by a great deal of variety. Depending on where you go in one of the neighbourhoods of Hamburg-Mitte, you will find traditionally middle-class residential areas, industrially influenced areas, highly frequented places with a big city flair or quiet residential areas with lots of nature and beautiful green spaces nearby. In districts such as Wilhemsburg, Rothenburgsort, or Veddel, an exciting change can be observed. For a long time, they were characterised by their proximity to the harbour, but are now developing into real hotspots that attract young people in particular. The character of the eastern districts is more middle-class. In St. Pauli, life is raging around the clock, not only thanks to the Reeperbahn, but also thanks to Hamburger Dom, a part-time amusement park that delights young and old. All in all, the district is a place steeped in history, with much to discover and see, and is certainly one of the most exciting places to live in the Hanseatic city.

Attractions

Place for tourist attractions

The heart of Hamburg is home to a whole range of sights. Among the most famous is the so-called Michel, the baroque church of St. Michaelis with its proud nave, vaulted cellar and magnificent view from the church tower. The building has existed for more than 400 years and looks back on a proud history. Other popular attractions are the Landungsbrücken with its museum ships, the Elbe, as well as Jungfernstieg, Binnenalster and Mönckebergstraße. This is a central main shopping street where, for example, the five-storey Europa Passage is located. Also worth seeing is the Speicherstadt in HafenCity, which attracts visitors not only with impressive warehouse buildings but also with the Miniatur Wunderland, the moated castle and the traditional ship harbour. Other attractions include the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the Hamburg State Opera and the International Maritime Museum.

From the amusement mile to the green oasis

If you want to turn night into day, St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn are the place to be. The Reeperbahn is more than just a red light district and offers visitors a considerable variety of opportunities to experience Hanseatic party life with gastronomy, nightclubs, bars and theatres. Many celebrities have performed here in one of the many venues such as the Club Molotow, the Star Club or the Kaiserkeller. In the latter, for example, the Beatles gathered in the 60s and gave their first performances. Those who want to experience some peace and nature in the centre of Hamburg will also find what they are looking for alongside all the hustle and bustle, because Hamburg's city centre has countless green spots that invite you to linger and relax. These include the Planten und Blomen park with its extensive lawns, the Japanese garden with its pretty roses and the tropical house, the Lohsepark in HafenCity, the Elbpark Entenwerder to the east or Hammer Park. At the very edge of the district, in southern Finkenwerder, you will reach the Alte Land with its magnificent fruit trees and pretty half-timbered houses.

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Business and economy

Important northern retail location

The Mitte district is not only a treasure trove of sights, but also the economic centre of Hamburg. This is especially true of Hamburg's city centre with its more than 1,000 shops, which is considered the most significant retail location in the whole of northern Germany and where many companies have set up their headquarters. The retail trade is concentrated on Mönckebergstraße, the Europa Passage, and the Nikolai-Quartier. In HafenCity, too, the numerous shopping opportunities on the promenade play a central role. The districts of St. Pauli, City-Süd and St. Georg, which are close to the city centre, are also important business locations, as are the large commercial and harbour areas. Thanks to the many sights, there are also numerous restaurants and hotels in Hamburg-Mitte, which are also important local employers. This is especially true of St. Pauli, which is of great importance to the Elbe metropolis as a location for the cultural and creative industries. Innovative retailers with creative and innovative shop concepts as well as designers have set up shop in the Karolinenviertel in St. Pauli, for example.

Urban development and economic growth

The most important and most elaborate development is the new HafenCity district, which since 2014 has also had its own university, HafenCity University. In general, Hamburg's inner city has seen a high volume of investment in recent years, which is reflected in new construction projects for retail, service, office and restaurant space. Congress Center Hamburg and the Hamburg-Mess regularly hold international trade fair events which attract companies from all over the world. Also worth mentioning in terms of the district's economic development is the "Hamburg Business Improvement Districts (BID)" association, which consists of various public and private actors and is intended to promote the development of the inner city as a business location. Among other things, it is responsible for the redevelopment of the Passagenviertel, the Gänsemarkt or the Dammtorstraße to make them more attractive as a centre of attraction.

About the real estate market

Popular district with top locations

Hamburg's city centre is one of the residential locations with the highest demand in the Elbe metropolis. The demand here is significantly greater than the supply, a circumstance that has had a corresponding effect and caused a sharp rise in property prices in recent years. Especially the trendy districts such as St. Pauli, St. Georg, Hamburg-Altstadt and HafenCity are among the residential areas with the highest prices. On the other hand, they offer their residents a place to live that leaves little to be desired in terms of diversity, leisure opportunities, supply density and infrastructure. HafenCity is characterised by modern new buildings and attractive promenades as well as its proximity to the Elbe. In general, there is a lot of new construction activity in Mitte, which serves to meet the high demand. But despite this activity, prices in the central neighbourhoods have hardly fallen. Properties in the districts of Finkenwerder or Horn are somewhat quieter, but less expensive. Ever more attractive, also for investors, is the formerly industrial Hammerbrook, which is increasingly becoming the focus of property seekers and potential buyers due to its location close to the city centre and its good local amenities. In addition, the location is excellently connected to the public transport infrastructure and has attractive local recreation areas thanks to the nearby Elbe canals.

Varied development in sought-after districts

Due to its size alone, the Mitte district in Hamburg has a variety of locations, some of which have considerable diversity in terms of townscape and architectural design. Here you will find almost all forms of living, from classic apartment buildings in the architectural style of the 1960s to splendid old buildings with an Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian style look to modern detached houses with their own garden or sophisticated lofts or 3- to 4-room flats - depending on where you are located. In some districts, such as Hamburg's old town, holiday flats are also in demand due to the high volume of tourists, creating lucrative yield opportunities for investors. Finkenwerder is idyllic and rural, attracting senior citizens as well as families with small children due to its rural charm. With a trained eye on the real estate market, it is also quite possible to acquire housing at favourable conditions in the Mitte district. Neighbourhoods worth mentioning in this respect include Hamm, for example, a district close to the city centre that offers smaller condominiums. They are particularly interesting for singles or couples without children.

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