(Hanover, Germany) This time on my German Cities series, we took a train to the capital of the state of Lower Saxony, Hanover. After Mainz, we thought that Hanover would be perfect next city to visit — a capital city at that. I then decided to list down the places I’ve been in the city so you can visit them yourself!
But first, a history of Hanover
Hanover (or in German, “Hannover”), like some other major German cities, was founded on the banks of a river. The river Leine runs through the whole city, which is why it is a major feature of Hanover. The lore of Hanover could be traced back to the Middle Ages where it developed into a dynastic seat of dukes. In the 1800s it was created a kingdom, called the Kingdom of Hanover. Some of the rulers of the United Kingdom have personal connections with the kingdom itself, one of them being Queen Victoria. Today, Hanover presents itself as a bustling capital laid with rich history.
Now that you know a short story of how Hanover came to be, let’s now go over the list of interesting places around the city!
Tiergarten Hannover
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Some of the deer running free around the Tiergarten
The 112-hectare Tiergarten is one of the largest game reserves in Germany. It used to be the hunting grounds of Duke Johann Friedrich in the 1600s and of King George III of the United Kingdom in around 1799. Today it keeps mostly deer and wild boar, among others. I can say that I am happy to be able to visit this place. Seeing the deer run and feed on the grass is a wonderful sight!
To get to the Tiergarten from Hannover Hauptbahnhof, get on U-Bahn 2 (Hannover Döhren/Betriebshof), then get off at Aegidientorplatz to take U-Bahn 5 (Anderten). The station is Tiergarten.
Sea LIFE Hannover
Some of the friendly aquatic animals at SEA LIFE Hannoversea life hannover turtleSEA LIFE HANNOVER
Another of Hanover’s city attractions is SEA LIFE Hannover. This museum is located within the Herrenhäuser Gardens, and sits right next to the Berggarten. It is an entertaining museum for people who are interested to learn about sea creatures and other water-dwelling animals.
SEA LIFE HANNOVER
Herrenhäuser Straße 4A
30419 Hannover
To get to SEA LIFE HANNOVER: Take U-Bahn 8 (Messe/Nord), 1 (Laatzen), or 3 (Wettbergen), get off at either Aegidientorplatz or Kröpcke (depends on which train you take) and ride a U-Bahn 4 (Stöcken) or U-Bahn 5 (Garbsen).
Berggarten
Author at Berggartena bloom of beautiful flowers as backdropFlowers at BerggartenFlowers in Bloon at BerggartenA huge collection of plants from all over the worldMausoleum Berggarten
The Berggarten is so named because, as sources say, it was built on the slope of an ice-age sand dune. The whole garden is locate up north of the Great Gardens of Herrenhäuser, and once served as a kitchen garden of the duke Johann Friedrich in the 1600s. Today the Berggarten houses hundreds of plants and flowers, including bamboo trees and orchids. Located inside the Berggarten is a Mausoleum of the Royal House of Guelphs.
Berggarten
Herrenhäuser Straße 4
30419 Hannover
To get to Berggarten: Take U-Bahn 8 (Messe/Nord), 1 (Laatzen), or 3 (Wettbergen), get off at either Aegidientorplatz or Kröpcke (depends on which train you take) and ride a U-Bahn 4 (Stöcken) or U-Bahn 5 (Garbsen).
Aegidienkirche
AegidienkircheIn 1943 this former Gothic church dating from 1347 was bombed and was never repaired or reconstructed.
Aegidienkirche used to be a church built in the 1100s. Now it stands as a living testament to the horrors of World War II. The church itself is a war monument and is a good place for you to reflect on so many things. The church lays bare and walking around it gives you an idea of the suffering many people experienced during the war.
Aegidienkirche
Aegidienkirchhof
30159 Hannover
You can reach this church by walking from the central station — only a 10- to 11-minute walk from Hannover Hauptbahnhof! Walking is recommended, especially if you’re into photowalks.
Marktkirche
The well-known feature of Marktkirche: the doors
Also called Marktkirche St. Georgii et Jacobi, the Marktkirche is always featured on some Hanover itineraries because of its doors. The doors depict scenes of tragedy during World War II.
Marktkirche
Hanns-Lilje-Platz 11
30159 Hannover
Like Aegidienkirche, Marktkirche is reachable on foot! Only an 8-minute walk from the central station!
Neues Rathaus and Maschpark
Neues Rathaus looking over the MaschteichMaschpark
The New Town Hall is the headquarters of the Lord Mayor and the city administration in Hanover. It is situated within the confines of the Maschpark. This building was built between 1901 and 1913. It really looked magnificent, even up close. I’ve read in some blogs that the Neues Rathaus is a favourite among photographers. I can really see why!
Neues Rathaus
Trammplatz 2
30159 Hannover
Opt to walk to Neues Rathaus! All it takes is a 15-minute walk from the central station!
Maschsee
Maschsee in HanoverMaschsee
The Maschsee is a stone’s throw away from the Neues Rathaus and Maschpark. It is a man-made lake built during the Nazi era. It is also the largest body of water in the state of Lower Saxony. All year round, people do all sorts of things on and around the lake, even playing ice hockey when the lake is frozen during winter months!
You can find Maschsee here:
Arthur-Menge-Ufer 3
30169 Hannover
Yep, even the Maschsee is near the central station. It is a 20-minute walk from the central station!
Of course one would ask: “Where’s the food?” We’ll get to that in the next article! I hope you enjoyed this listicle of sorts and I hope you guys put Hanover in your Germany itinerary!
Nizrhane Abdallah is a twenty-something occasional food-and-travel snoopervisor armed with a camera. She regularly uploads her photographs on her Instagram. She is sometimes seen partnering with her husband -- and fine art photographer --- Ric Caliolio Jr (Instagram and Eyeem.com) on food trips. When not snooping around, Nizrhane writes for her personal WordPress blogs (Thisgirlnamednizrhane.wordpress.com and The Girl from Manila).
You can reach Nizrhane Abdallah here: thegirlfrommanila@gmail.com
Nizrhane Abdallah
