Alster Lake Mansion Stroll

Walk along the scenic, leafy banks of the Outer Alster Lake through Rotherbaum and Harvestehude to admire grand white consulates, historic merchant villas, and peaceful shoreline parks.

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1. Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club

The Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club sits on the banks of the Alster with a long, low boathouse painted in distinct white and red stripes. Founded in eighteen thirty-six, it holds the title of the oldest rowing club in Germany. During the…

2. Generalkonsulat der Vereinigten Staaten Verwaltungsabteilung

The heavy iron gates and the concrete barriers along Alsterufer mark the Generalkonsulat der Vereinigten Staaten. This building sits on the site of a former mansion, but today it serves as the diplomatic outpost for the United States…

3. Harvestehuder Weg 8

The white facade of Harvestehuder Weg eight stands out because of its intricate stucco work and the prominent, rounded corner bay that faces the street. This villa was built in the late nineteenth century for a wealthy merchant, reflecting…

4. Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg

The Harvestehuder Weg eleven building stands out for its high, arched windows and the grand, neoclassical facade that faces the Alster. Originally built in eighteen sixty-two as a private villa for the banker Ernst Merk, it housed one of…

5. Alsterpark

Alsterpark stretches along the western shore of the Außenalster, defined by its wide, rolling lawns and clusters of mature birch and willow trees. It occupies land reclaimed from private estates in the early twentieth century, intended to…

6. Anglo-German Club e.V.

The Anglo-German Club occupies a white neoclassical villa on the edge of the Alster river, easily identified by the pair of national flags—British and German—flying from its stone terrace. Built in the late nineteenth century as a private…

7. Botschaft Von Ägypten

The Egyptian Embassy in Harvestehude sits behind a high, wrought-iron fence, distinguishable by the large, prominent coat of arms of the Arab Republic of Egypt mounted near the main entrance. This building began its life as a grand private…

8. Blick über Aussenalster auf Elbphilharmonie

The Elbphilharmonie rises from the harbor like a glass wave crested with jagged, white foam. It sits atop an old brick warehouse, preserving the heavy, geometric base of the past while housing a concert hall constructed to be acoustically…

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