Hamburg, officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin, as well as the overall 8th-largest city and largest non-capital city within the European Union with a population of over 1.9 million. Hamburg's urban area has a population of around 2.5 million and is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, which has a population of over 5.1 million people in total. At the southern tip of the Jutland Peninsula, Hamburg stands on the branching River Elbe at the head of a 110 km (68 mi) estuary down to the North Sea, on the mouth of the Alster and Bille. Hamburg is one of Germany's three city-states alongside Berlin and Bremen, and is surrounded by Schleswig-Holstein to the north and Lower Saxony to the south. The Port of Hamburg is Germany's largest and Europe's third-largest, after Rotterdam and Antwerp. The local dialect is a variant of Low Saxon.
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia, then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 kilometres northwest of Hamburg. Its total length is 1,094 km (680 mi).
Neuwerk (pronunciation ; is a 3 km2 tidal island in the Wadden Sea on the German North Sea coast, with a population of 32. Neuwerk is located 13 km northwest of Cuxhaven, between the Weser and Elbe estuaries. The distance to the centre of Hamburg is about 120 km.
Leading lights, also known as range lights in the United States, are a pair of light beacons used in navigation to indicate a safe passage for vessels entering a shallow or dangerous channel; they may also be used for position fixing. At night, the lights are a form of leading line that can be used for safe navigation. The beacons consist of two lights that are separated in distance and elevation, so that when they are aligned, with one above the other, they provide a bearing. Range lights are often illuminated day and night.
Altona, also called Hamburg-Altona, is the westernmost urban borough (Bezirk) of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864, Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent borough until 1937. In 2016 the population was 270,263.
The Port of Hamburg is a seaport on the river Elbe in Hamburg, Germany, 110 kilometres (68 mi) from its mouth on the North Sea.
The Alte Weser Lighthouse is located offshore from the estuary mouth of the river Weser in the German Bight, southern North Sea. It was built on sand between 1961 and 1964. The lighthouse took over duties and replaced the historical Roter Sand Lighthouse on 1 September 1964. The latter had been built from 1883 to 1885.
Hærvejen, sometimes referred to in English as the Ox Road, is the name given to an ancient trackway in Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. The route runs from Viborg via Flensburg to Hamburg, the territory of which it entered at Ochsenzoll and where it connected with other roads. It has been known by several other names throughout history, most importantly "the Cattle Road" (Studevejen) and "the Oxen Road" or "Ox Road".
Blankenese is a suburban quarter in the borough of Altona in the western part of Hamburg, Germany; until 1938 it was an independent municipality in Holstein. It is located on the right bank of the Elbe river. With a population of 13,637 as of 2020, today it is widely known as one of Hamburg's most affluent neighborhoods.
The Jenisch park is the oldest landscaped park in Hamburg, Germany, located in the Othmarschen quarter at the Geest shore of River Elbe. Of the area of 43 ha, 8 are a protected. Two museums, Jenisch House and Ernst Barlach House, are located within the park. The river Flottbek flows through the park and into the Elbe at Teufelsbrück.
Grauerort fortress is a German artillery fort on Elbe river about 9 km (5.6 mi) north of Stade which was built between 1869 and 1879 to defend the Port of Hamburg. Its shape is hexagonal, taking advantage of the topography of the area and the location of the previously existing levee. The main armament of the fort were probably ten 21 cm breech-loading guns, but they are no longer in place. There were also 4 12 cm and six 9 cm guns. Construction materials were cement and brick; concrete was only used from 1885 onward.
Olhörn Lighthouse is a small lighthouse on the German North Sea island of Föhr in Schleswig-Holstein.
Warnemünde Lighthouse is a lighthouse situated on the Unterwarnow, the estuary of the Warnow river, in Warnemünde, a district in the city of Rostock. The lighthouse has a height of 36.9 metres (121 ft) and was put into service in 1898.
Roter Sand is a lighthouse in the North Sea, in the Weser estuary. It entered service in 1885. The light was deactivated in 1986 but the tower still serves as a day beacon. Roter Sand Lighthouse was the first building ever to be erected directly on the sea floor.
Heligoland Lighthouse is located on Germany's only offshore island, Heligoland. Constructed during World War II as an anti-aircraft tower, it was turned into a lighthouse in 1952. It features the strongest light on the German North Sea coast with a range of 28 nautical miles (52 km) so that it can be seen as far as on the East Frisian or the North Frisian islands and Halligen. The lighthouse is operated by the Tönning water and shipping authority.
Steinwerder is a quarter of Hamburg, Germany in the borough Hamburg-Mitte on the southern bank of the river Elbe. It is a primarily maritime industrial location, with a resident population in 2017 of only 39.
The Elbchaussee is a famous thoroughfare of Hamburg, Germany, joining the city's western Elbe suburbs (Elbvororte) Othmarschen, Nienstedten and Blankenese with Altona and Hamburg's inner city. Running along the elevated northern Elbe shore, across Geest heights, embedded forests and meadows, the Elbchaussee offers scenic views across the widening Lower Elbe, onto the opposite plains of Altes Land, and the distant activities of the port's container terminals.
Blankenese High Lighthouse was a lighthouse on the river Elbe in the Hamburg district of Blankenese, from 1984 to 2020.
The Great Tower Neuwerk is the most significant building of the Neuwerk island, belonging to Hamburg. Completed in 1310, the structure is one of the oldest worldwide that was used as lighthouse (1814–2014) and still standing. This former beacon, watchtower and lighthouse is also the oldest building in Hamburg and oldest secular building on the German coast.
