City of Bremen Germany

September 10, 2009

city-hall-bremen-d1559 With a 2006 population of 547,000, the northwest port of Bremen is Germany’s 10th largest city. Built upon the Weser River, Bremen has grown from a small fishing village into the country’s second-largest port behind Hamburg.

Many of the tourist attractions of Bremen are in the old town, called the Altstadt, a historical area sandwiched between the Weser River and the moats of the medieval city walls to the northeast. The oldest part of the Altstadt is the marketplace, or Marktplatz. Dominating this square is the ornate facade of the Town Hall, which was erected originally between 1405 and 1410 in Gothic style. However, in the early 1600s the facade was built in the local “Weser Renaissance” style. Also in the marketplace are two enormous statues: one is the 1404 statute of the city’s protector, known as Roland, who bears the sword of justice and a shield adorned with an imperial eagle. The townspeople believed that as long as Roland stands, the city will remain free. The statue was determinedly protected during World War II. The other statute is a 1953 bronze sculpture which portrays the donkey, dog, cat and rooster of the Brothers Grimm fairytale.

There is a medieval alley running from the market square down to the river that is particularly fascinating, as it was renovated in 1926 by local artists into a marvelous mixture of Gothic and Art Nouveau. Today it features a wide range of boutiques, art galleries, cafes and a museum. The Schnoor quarter is a small area of fishing houses and crooked medieval lanes, which now features many cafes, galleries and craft shops.

Bremen is host to Freimarkt, one of the world’s oldest and one of Germany’s biggest continuously celebrated fairground festivals. It has been a yearly October tradition since the year 1036.

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