exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
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Domsheide
The Börsenhof is also interesting from the other side
As the name suggests (in german), Domsheide is not far from the cathedral, just a stone's throw away. Passing by the protected Börsenhof A, a commercial and office building constructed between 1861 and 1864 opposite the cathedral and renovated at the turn of the millennium, you quickly arrive at one of the most important public transportation hubs in the city center. Here, trams operated by BSAG run in almost all directions, including to the airport, Viertel district, central station, university, and Überseestadt. An unused company building between the tracks has been under monument protection since January 2020. Thus, the distinctive brick tower erected in 1988 and named after its creator - Per Kirkeby, the late Danish sculptor - cannot be demolished but will likely be relocated as part of the upcoming redevelopment of the area.
Main entrance of the courthouse
Amid all the bustle that often prevails here, there are also sights to discover: prison, commerce, and art. The "prison" is represented by the imposing courthouse, built in the historicist style after its foundation stone was laid in 1891 and completed between 1893 and 1995 according to designs by architects Ludwig Klingenberg and Hugo Weber.
Detail view above the main entrance of the courthouse
Since 1992, this building, which survived World War II almost unscathed, has been under monument protection. It houses the regional court, with a glass bridge connecting it to the district court, which is located in a much younger building on the opposite side of the street.
Rear entrance of the courthouse
The former Imperial Post Office Directorate diagonally across was built between 1875 and 1878 according to plans by architect Karl Schwatlo. The multi-wing structure in the German Renaissance style served as the seat of the postal directorate in the Hanseatic city until 1926. After extensive renovations from 1971 to 1977, it functioned, among other things, as a post office and Catholic school. Inside the building, the lavishly decorated Kaiser Saal is worth seeing, featuring several busts and five wall paintings in the historicist style by Bremen artist Arthur Fitger, who found his final resting place at Riensberg Cemetary after his death in 1909. The hall was originally part of the postal director's residence.
The former Imperial Post Office Directorate
To the right of the building, a staircase leads down to Dechanatstraße. The Renaissance portal on this side of the structure does not originally belong to the building but comes from the Domdechant, which was renovated in 1565 and finally demolished in 1875. Turning from Dechanatstraße into "Am Landherrnamt" street, you arrive at Bremen's oldest district, Schnoor.
Detail view of the building facade
Like the former main post office, the row of houses opposite has been under monument protection since 1973. The parsonage of St. Peter Cathedral Congregation on the right and the adjacent Kulenkampff House were built in the 1840s. However, the most striking structure is the concert hall and restaurant "Die Glocke,"(the bell) constructed between 1926 and 1928 according to designs by Bremen architect Walter Görig. The unusual name of the red brick building originates from an octagonal tower-like structure that stood on the south side of the cathedral in the 15th century. Successive buildings were destroyed by a major fire in 1915, making way for the new "Glocke." While Art Deco dominates the halls and foyer, not only does the large gable at the front facing Domsheide evoke Brick Gothic.
The concert hall of "Die Glocke" boasts impressive acoustics, comparable only to those found in the former old broadcasting hall of Radio Bremen in the Schwachhausen district elsewhere in the city
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Domshof
In the shadow of the cathedral lies Domshof. Until 1803, the cathedral district, and thus the large square, belonged to the respective bishops, Sweden, and later the Electorate of Hanover, who ruled Bremen at different times. The buildings, including townhouses, along with the planting of numerous trees, made Domshof one of the most beautiful squares in the Hanseatic city during the 18th and 19th centuries.
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The Viertel
Even though the area around the two main streets and their many small side streets partially belongs to the Mitte district and partially to the Östliche Vorstadt, Bremen residents simply refer to it as "the Viertel." It is loved, hated, feared, and much more. In no other neighborhood of the Hanseatic city have contrasts been so openly - and sometimes violently - visible over decades as in the Viertel.
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Überseestadt
When the Overseas Port needed renovation, Bremen decided in 1991 to simply close the basin instead. In 1998, the port was filled with sand that had been dredged from the Außenweser. Alongside the also decommissioned but still existing Europa Hafen (Europe Port), this formed the foundation for the conceptual development and creation of today's Überseestadt.
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Schnoor
Bremen's oldest preserved neighborhood is the Schnoor. In earlier times, this area was primarily inhabited by fishermen and sailors, as it was here that the Balge - a tributary of the Weser - ran, and one of Bremen's first harbors was located. Many of the small houses date back to the 17th century or have been reconstructed based on historical models. The house at No. 15 in Schnoor Lane, built in 1402 on medieval foundations, is one of the oldest structures in the Schnoor, alongside the Packhaus (1401).
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Market Square
As it was in the past and as it is today, market square is the political center of Bremen and also a major attraction for thousands of tourists, undoubtedly due to its unique architectural atmosphere. Almost unobtrusively and modestly, the Bürgerschaft (Bremen's parliament) stands next to the magnificent Old Town Hall.
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Schlachte
Between the Wilhelm-Kaisen Bridge and the Stephani Bridge, a promenade with a boulevard, ship docks, and numerous dining establishments offering something for every palate was created between 1993 (start of construction) and its grand opening on May 27, 2000. The project cost over €20 million, primarily funded by the EU, and features 60 trees and ample granite paving.
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Round trip: from the City Center to the Weser weir & back
From Tiefer or Alterwall, along the Weser riverbank in front of Schnoor and diagonally opposite the DGzRS (German Maritime Search and Rescue Service), the planetarium, and the observatory on the other side of the river, a scenic path for pedestrians and cyclists runs along the water upstream toward the Weser weir. After crossing the weir, the return route takes you back via Stadtwerder.
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