Follow the Red Thread

Well, this isn't the Land of Oz, but I'm not in Wisconsin anymore, either.  Yesterday, I continued exploring Lower Saxony with a day trip to Hannover, the state's capital.  Though surprisingly not in my Daytrips: Germany book, I would consider Hannover a must-see for anyone traveling in this part of Germany.  The city has a little bit of everything, and is set up very nicely for tourists.  Der Rote Faden (the Red Thread), painted directly onto the streets and sidewalks, guides visitors to Hannover's most-important attractions.  All you have to do is follow along!

I bypassed Hannover's classy modern shopping district to spend more time around the historical architecture.  the first sight was the Opera House (above).  Designed by Georg Ludwig Laves, Hannover's Royal Master of Works from 1814 to 1894, and originally constructed in 1852, the Opera House was burnt out during a World War II air raid in 1943.  Reconstruction lasted five years.  A short stroll down Georgstrasse reveals the grand home (below) of the local Deutsche Bank branch, originally built in 1900.

The Red Thread then leads into the Aegidien New Town, to the ruins of the Aegidienkirche.  Constructed beginning in 1347, the Gothic hall church was almost completely destroyed during World War II.  Today, only the Baroque tower stands above the empty former sanctuary.  Laid into the floor is Dorothee von Windheim's Schattenlinie (Shadow Line), tracing the church walls' shadow and symbolizing the narrow boundary between life and death.

Just a few blocks away is the New Town Hall.  Built from 1901-1913, the impressive building sits on marshy soil thanks to a foundation of 6026 beech piles.  The dome houses an observation platform, that was unfortunately closed at the time of my visit.  Inside, the entrance hall displays four models of Hannover, showing the city in 1689, 1939, 1945 (with extensive WWII destruction), and today.  Tourists weren't the only photographers, though.  A couple was celebrating their wedding in one of the Town Hall's ballroom; what a venue!

Behind the New Town Hall is the Maschpark, filled with winding paths next to water alongside ponds and streams (where I'm standing in the very first picture).  I meandered my way to the Maschsee, Hannover's largest lake.  Artificially created in 1935-1935, the Maschsee is a favorite haven for sailors and joggers alike.  Not too far away is AWD-Arena, home to the city's soccer team, Hannover 96.

On my way further along the Red Thread, I came to the Leine Palace, home to Niedersachsen's State Parliament.  The impressive complex was completed in 1640, originally built at the request of Duke Georg of Calenberg, and replacing a 13th century monastery (vacated after the town embraced Lutheran theology).  Nearby is a bronze statue of the "Göttingen Seven" (above).  In 1837, seven professors from the Lower Saxony town of Göttingen protested the annulment of the Kingdom of Hannover's constitution.  All were dismissed for their resolution, and some were forced to leave the country.  The famous scholars and authors, the Brothers Grimm, were among the group.

A slight detour past the State Archives brought me to the Neutstädter Hof- und Stadtkirche St. Johannis (New City's Farm and City Church of St. John), the final resting place Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.  Leibniz, a brilliant philosopher, mathematician, physicist, lawyer, philologist, and historian from Hannover, is also honored with restored house in the Old City (relocation and reconstruction cost over 22 million Deutsche Marks).  The university in Hannover is also named for the genius, who introduced the calculus dx/dy notation for derivatives.

Hannover gets its name from the "hon overe" (high bank) on the eastern side of the Leine river.  Strong fortifications (above) from the 14th-Century Hanseatic city keep watch over the weekly flea market along the river's shores.  Surrounded by bargain-hunters are three curious statues by Niki de Saint Phalle (shown below).  Nicknamed the "buxom girls," the artworks initially sparked an intense discussion over art in public places, but eventually were embraced by the city, which made the artist an honorary citizen in 2000.

Next I strolled through the Old City, along cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered houses.  Originally found all over the city, the beautiful buildings were gathered together after World War II.  The oldest house in the district dates from 1566.  Nestled in the Old City is the Kreuzkirche (Cross Church).  Consecrated in 1333, the sanctuary features a 16th-Century altar painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder, and today is an important concert venue.

The third main church in Hannover is the Marktkirche (Market Church, below).  The Brick Gothic church was built in the 14th Century for a Catholic congregation, then refitted with a new altar, pulpit, and seating after the Protestant Reformation transformed religion in the city.  The Marktkirche's spire was designed to be twice as tall, but the builders ran out of money before completing it.  Their creative solution, a shorter, smaller spire, actually started a new trend in church architecture.

Right next door is the Old Town Hall.  The southern-most example of North German Brick Gothic Architecture, the building was constructed in stages, beginning as long ago as 1410.  The most-recent renovation was in 1999.  The Old Town Hall now contains the city's Registry Office and restaurants.

All paths back to the train station lead through the Kröpcke, Hannover's main square.  Named for a cafe owner from the late 19th Century, the Kröpcke is the center of the Hannover shopping, and a favorite meeting place for visitors.  The other popular answer to "Where should we meet?" is "Beneath the tail!"  Outside the Hannover train station stands a statue of King Ernst August I, the first King of Hannover to live in the city after its union with the United Kingdom ended.

Hannover, like Bremen, combines the rich history of a centuries-old settlement with the modern amenities a 21st-Century capital city should have.  The Red Thread (and the accompanying guide book, to which I owe most of this post's information) makes Hannover an especially attractive destination.  There's no place like Niedersachsen!