Tourist’s guide to Bremen – what to see and what to do

Bremen, a city-state located in the northwestern part of Germany, is included in the list of the most popular tourist routes in the country. Despite the fact that the Brothers Grimm, who wrote a fairy tale about wandering musicians, brought him world fame, Bremen is known not only for this. It contains a huge number of monuments, medieval buildings, museums, parks and other attractions that deserve the closest attention.

Bremen in the evening

General information

Bremen in Germany, one of the oldest coastal cities in the country, arose in 782 on the site of a former fishing village. Perhaps he would have remained an unknown village, if not for Charlemagne, who decided to equip his residence here. In 1186, Bremen received several privileges at once, and after 150 years it became the most important trading port of medieval Prussia. However, the Free Hanseatic city of Bremen acquired its special status, and with them its current official name, only at the beginning of the 19th century. Today it is Germany’s tenth largest metropolis – according to 2017 data, its population is about 600 thousand inhabitants, and the border length reaches 130 km.

Looking at the photos of the city of Bremen in Germany, you will see that it lies on both banks of the Weser River and is divided into 5 large areas: North (Nord), South (Süd), West (West), East (Ost) and Central (Mitte). Almost in each of them there is one or another university offering favorable educational conditions. In this regard, more than 30 thousand students are present in Bremen every year, which makes it attractive not only to lovers of antiquity, but also to ordinary youth.

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Old streets

sights

The map of Bremen with landmarks in Russian, attached at the end of the page, shows that most of them fit in the Old Town, which can be easily walked around. This is what we will do!

Quarter Schnor

The construction of the historical quarter, located 300 meters from the Market Square, began in the middle of the 13th century. Despite such a long history of his existence, he managed to maintain a unique look and unique medieval atmosphere. At the same time, the Gothic Church of St. Johann is considered to be the oldest Schnoor Viertel building, with street artists, artisans and musicians constantly gathering at its walls.

Colorful streets

In ancient times, ropes were made in the Schnoor quarter. Today it is a popular tourist destination, filled with shops, souvenir shops, restaurants, pubs, museums and art galleries.

How to find on the map: 28195 Altstadt, Bremen, Germany.

Market Square

If you don’t know what to see from the sights of Bremen, take a look at Marktplatz, the central square of the city, considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. The architectural ensemble, standing in its surroundings, was built in the Middle Ages. Oddly enough, neither the burgher houses, nor the historical monuments, which will be discussed later, did not suffer at all during the Second World War, having wiped out more than 90% of urban buildings from the face of the earth.

Market Square

The most significant objects of the Market Square include the large Hanseatic cross, the Schütting building, which in the old days gathered the merchant guild, and the 10th statue of Roland, guarding the historic center of the city. In one hand he holds a shield with an imperial eagle, and in the other – a sword of justice. Among local residents, it is believed that as soon as this medieval knight disappears from the face of the earth, Bremen will lose its independence. Belief in it turned out to be so strong that during the Second World War, Roland was the most protected city monument. Moreover, the Brazilian city of the same name, founded by the Bremen settlers, was named after him.

Another interesting Marktplatz feature is the Bremer Loch or Bremen Hole. This is a small gateway located behind the city hall building right in the middle of the sidewalk. From this opening music or animal voices are regularly heard. You should not be scared – this is how gratitude sounds for every coin thrown inside.

Bremen Town Hall

One of the most important historical sights of Bremen is the City Hall, towering in the middle of the Market Square. The monumental building, built over several centuries, combines elements of two different styles – Gothic and Weser Renaissance.

Bremen Town Hall

The building of the Bremen City Hall consists of 2 adjacent buildings: the Old, which has been forming local politics for more than 600 years in a row, and the New, annexed at the beginning of the 20th century. Being the main symbol of a free and exorbitantly rich city, the Town Hall impresses not only with a beautiful facade made of glazed brick, but also with its interior design. Among the numerous premises that make up this building, the Senate Room, the Golden Chamber and the Great Hall, whose wall paintings reflect plots from the Solomon Court, are of the greatest interest.

The legendary Ratskeller Pub, located on the basement of the Town Hall, deserves no less attention. The institution includes several halls and cellars, which store the oldest wines in Germany – some of them were bottled back in 1653. They say that at one time many famous people visited here – dukes, emperors, composers, writers, etc. The Bremen Town Hall is active – the city hall is still located in it. In the summer of 204, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Address: Am Markt 21, Bremen, Germany.

Opening hours:

  • Mon – Thu .: from 09:00 to 15:00;
  • Fri .: from 09:00 to 13:00.

Sculpture “Bremen Town Musicians”
"The Bremen Town Musicians"

Among the tourist photos describing the sights of Bremen, you can also find a bronze statue of the Bremen musicians, established in the 50s. last century. The famous four, wandering around the world and being one of the main symbols of the city, is located on Marktplatz near the local administration. A donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster are standing on each other, forming a pyramid and repeating exactly the frame from the cartoon, based on the fairy tale of the same name. The idea to perpetuate the work of the Brothers Grimm in bronze belongs to the famous German sculptor Gerhard Marx. Curiously, a similar monument can be seen on the Böttcherstraße. In addition, he is in Riga – the twin city of Bremen.

And with Bremer Stadtmusikanten there is one interesting belief. It is believed that if you take a donkey by the front paws or rub his nose and make a wish, it will come true. Apparently, not only locals believe in this legend, but also numerous guests of Bremen, since the paws and nose of a bronze animal shine no worse than a Russian samovar.

Where to find: on the main square of Bremen near the walls of the City Hall.

Saint Paul’s Cathedral
Saint Paul's Cathedral

St. Peter’s Cathedral, located in the very center of the city, is a magnificent building, erected in 1041 on the site of an old wooden church. Being one of the oldest religious buildings in Germany, it amazes not only with external but also with its interior.

So, the cathedral facades are decorated with sculptural images of Charlemagne and several biblical characters, the eastern crypt contains a lot of medieval elements, and 2 symmetrical towers towering over the city allow you to see it from a bird’s eye view. To do this, in one of them, the south, is equipped with an observation deck, which operates from April to October. However, in order to admire the surroundings and take a photo of the city of Bremen from a 100-meter height, you will have to overcome 265 steps, rushing up a narrow staircase. As for the interior, the greatest value in it is the Romanesque font of 12 tbsp. and a baroque carved pulpit donated by the Queen of Sweden in 1638.

In addition, in St. Petri Dom is a museum with liturgical objects of past times, artifacts found during the next reconstruction, and a lead cellar, in the walls of which are stored 9 mummified remains (each in an open coffin). And there is also a small botanical garden in which 120 plants are mentioned, mentioned in Holy Scripture.

Address: Sandstrasse 10 – 12, Bremen, Germany.

Bottcherstrasse street
Bottcherstrasse street

Talking about the sights of the city of Bremen, we just can not help but recall the legendary Bottcherstrasse, located between the Market Square and the Weser embankment. Despite its rather modest size (only 108 m), the street named after the famous German inventor is the focus of a number of architectural monuments, medieval courtyards, museums, craft and creative workshops, restaurants, beer bars, hotels and casinos.

Among the most popular tourist sites of this place are the museum of the artist Paula Becker-Moderson and several unusual houses – Atlantis, Seven Lazy, Robinson Crusoe, Carillon and Roselius. But the last 2 are of most interest. In one of them famous porcelain bells are made, in the other there is a museum exposition dedicated to the masterpieces of North German art.

The entrance to the Bottcherstrasse is guarded by a bas-relief depicting the archangel Michael fighting the Dragon, and the exit is by crowds of tourists who come here to enjoy the sound of those very bells and see color pictures from the history of Bremen that appear in the tower’s drop-down windows. Bottcherstrasse also has a large number of small shops offering not only traditional Bremen souvenirs, but also exclusive products such as Scandinavian glass and Remember designer products.

Brugerpark
Brugerpark in Bremen

Among the most famous sights of the city of Bremen in Germany is the Burgerpark, laid in the 20th century around a luxurious 5 * hotel. The lake with crystal clear water, green spaces and cozy alleys occupy more than 200 hectares. This is a great place for those who want to relax from the bustle of the city, sit in a cozy restaurant, have a picnic or go rollerblading and cycling along specially equipped paths.

True, it is far from always quiet in Buergerpark, because concerts, festivals, shows and other celebrations are regularly held here. In addition to rental points, there is a mini-golf course and a small zoo.

Location on the map: Hollerallee, Bremen, Germany.

Museum of Natural Sciences

When you get acquainted with a photo of Bremen in Germany, you will surely notice one of the most informative sights of this city. This is a museum of natural sciences, which occupies a huge cetacean building.

Museum of Natural Sciences

The halls of this scientific center store up to 300 interactive exhibits dedicated to the development of space, earth and humanity.

Here you will learn about a wide variety of phenomena related to chemistry, physics, geography and other natural sciences. You will be told about the origin of the Earth and the Big Bang Theory, the nature of the occurrence of earthquakes and the formation of tornadoes. Having visited Universum Bremen, you can look into the depths of the ocean, make a journey into outer space, find yourself on a mountain peak or in the very center of natural disasters.

In addition, the complex has a 27-meter tower, which in addition to several scientific expositions has an excellent observation deck. And most importantly, each exhibit of the museum can be touched, try on yourself and take pictures.

Address: Wiener Str. 1a, the city of Bremen, Germany.

Opening hours:

  • Mon – Fri .: from 09:00 to 18:00;
  • Sat – sun. and holidays: from 10:00 to 18:00

Ticket price:

  • Adult – 16 €;
  • At a discount – 11 €;
  • Family – 40 €.
Embankment p. Weser
Embankment p.  Weser

An overview of the most important sights of Bremen in Germany is completed by the historic Schlachte embankment, built in the mid 13th century. Initially, it served to strengthen the shores of the Weser, then the main river port was located here, receiving ships from all over Europe. Nowadays, Shlyakhte is a favorite place for walking, 600 meters of which there are many restaurants, shops, entertainment centers and other urban infrastructure (including a beer garden with 5 thousand seats).

On the promenade of Bremen, it is never quiet. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., it is filled with street food stalls and traders with traditional flea market goods. River trams and large ships mooring in the local harbor continually scurry through the water. And here every year Christmas fairs, river regattas, sea weeks and other celebrations are held. The main pride of the Vezerskaya embankment is the old houses made in different architectural styles, as well as copies of ships belonging to past eras.

Location: Old Town, Bremen, Germany.

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Food in the city

Cafe in Bremen

The main distinguishing feature of Bremen is a large number of gastronomic establishments of the most different price categories. So:

  • a visit to an inexpensive cafe will cost 20-25 € for two,
  • 3-course set lunch in a mid-level restaurant – at 50-55 €,
  • a snack in a fast food establishment – at 14 €.

At the same time, Viertel and Schlachte are considered the most popular chain restaurants in Bremen. It serves traditional Northern German dishes: mashed potatoes with onions, corned beef, beets and fried eggs (Labskaus), grilled pork sausages (Grunkohl mit Mettwiirstchen), chocolate with peppermint filling (Kluten) and fried haddock in mustard-yogurt sauce .

On a note! The best local chocolate is sold at the Hachez store. Traditional city coffee houses are called Knigge – a cup of coffee in them costs a little more than 2 €. The best cafes and restaurants of the city are located next to the main attractions of Bremen – in the historical district, as well as on the promenade and Market Square.

Where to stay?

Hotel in Bremen

Being one of the most tourist cities in Germany, Bremen offers many accommodation options – from apartments and guest houses to hostels and budget hotels. Among them there are both ordinary urban-type establishments and large chain hotels with outdoor swimming pools, spas and wellness centers. As for prices, the cost of daily living in a double room of a 3 * hotel is from 40 to 260 €, in 5 * – at least 120 €.

All prices and the schedule in the article are for July 2019.

Interesting Facts

There are many interesting facts connected with the city of Bremen in Germany. Here are just a few of them:

  1. Bremen is the capital of the smallest German land, which apart from itself includes only Bremenhafen. But in terms of population this land takes first place in the country. In addition, a record number of millionaires live in it.
  2. Freimarkt Fair Festival, held here since 1036, is one of the oldest fairs in the world.
  3. Freimarkt Fair
  4. At different periods in its history, Bremen managed to be part of Sweden and France.
  5. It is here that the six-hundred-kilometer German Road of Fairy Tales ends, beginning in the home of the Grimm brothers in Hanau.
  6. Bremen is the oldest of all city-states of Germany;
  7. Werder, the local football team, became the country’s champion as much as 4 times.
  8. One of the most significant natural attractions of the city is the rhododendron park, whose area is 46 hectares.
  9. Bremen, a city in Germany, is the birthplace of Robinson Crusoe, the literary character of Daniel Defoe.

The sights of Bremen described on this page are marked on the map in Russian.

What to see in Bremen in one day:



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