"Why can't it be green?" wondered the residents of St. Pauli, the famous alternative neighborhood in the heart of Hamburg. That was the beginning.
At least that's how the latest and most recent chapter of its history began. Because the colossal anti-aircraft bunker, one of the largest built by the Nazis during World War II, had already been reincarnated many times into many things, but it still remained a huge gray mass in the middle of the city. To make this monster green, at least 20,000 plants and trees had to be planted! And so it was done. The St. Pauli bunker has celebrated its first anniversary open to the public. It is already one of the great attractions of this multifaceted city.
Bathed by the Alster and the magnificent Elbe rivers, with a magnificent port, the highest number of billionaires in Germany, and an enviable quality of life, Hamburg is a treat for travelers. It could be stretched and excessive, but it is discreet and elegant. It could be whatever it wanted, and yet, it is open, independent, and tolerant. Karl Lagerfeld summed it up like no one else when asked if he was French or German, he replied, "I am from Hamburg."
The bunker also perfectly embodies the spirit of the German Hanseatic city. More than a thousand shelters were built, but this one, with the capacity to shelter 25,000 people during attacks, broke all records. That's why it was never destroyed after the war. It would have wiped out the entire St. Pauli neighborhood. Instead, it was decided that radios, televisions, communication agencies, and photography studios took over the place, turning it into a symbol of freedom.
Another tenant also made a splash: the legendary concert hall Uebel & Gefährlic, which still occupies the fourth floor. However, the new and most daring addition, at a cost of 90 million euros, are the five floors built just above. Imagine a kind of huge wild hat where birds and insects live, and a garden walkway that allows visitors to ascend to the top. Each step offers a new angle of this irresistible city. But there's more, inside, it houses a hotel (Reverb by Hard Rock), as well as shops, cafes, restaurants, and a rooftop with live music where one could zen out all day.
And we say all day because the night promises in St. Pauli, it really does. While you wait, it's worth immersing yourself in the hipster atmosphere of Karoviertel. Narrow streets, faded Art Nouveau houses, and many design (and second-hand) stores await around Marktstrasse. Then you can have dinner, or not, at one of its restaurants with terraces.
Next, you must head, without a doubt, to Reeperbahn, the avenue that every night attracts all kinds of tourists and local scoundrels. There is something for every type of person in these 950 meters known as the "sinful mile." Many erotic bars, yes, but above all, good music and entertainment. However, "90% of people don't leave this main street," says Tomas Kaiser, a city expert guide. "If you are interested in knowing the most interesting bars, you have to leave Reeperbahn."
You don't have to go far. The Silbersack, a pub from the 1940s, remains more or less the same, "with its jukebox and beers for two euros." It was wealthy neighbors who decided to buy it and keep it going after their beloved Erna Thomsen, the woman who ran it, passed away. "This is Hamburg," explains Kaiser. And he gives another example, that of the iconic St. Pauli football club, the first in Germany that does not belong to millionaires or CEOs, but to the fans. "It's a cooperative. In the stadium, they even have a nursery, they even produce honey and coffee. Something like this could only happen in this city."
Another story is closely linked to the neighborhood. Here, as we know, The Beatles began their meteoric career. In addition to a square dedicated to the Liverpool band, Beatlemania requires visiting the places where they started playing and gaining recognition: the Indra Club, the Star Club, the Kaiserkeller, and Top Ten. Three of these still exist. Why Hamburg? "Because in the 1960s, this city had many venues and few musicians, unlike Liverpool, where there were too many musicians and few venues," explains Kaiser. "Here they learned and grew. Because they started at the Indra, a strip club where they played during intermissions." Today there is a tour, of course, that takes the traveler through all the traces that the band left in St. Pauli.
To understand the importance of music in the neighborhood, consider this: in Reeperbahn, investments without a musical component are not allowed. This makes it the highest density of concert halls in the world. In September, during the Reeperbahn Festival, more than 400 concerts are held over four days in 100 different venues. "Today, this is a mandatory place for music producers, industry journalists, emerging stars, etc. And in fact, music has changed the neighborhood's reputation. It has been gentrified. It even has a beach club on the riverbank." Let's not forget that St. Pauli is located on the banks of the Elbe. Reeperbahn literally means the "street of ropemakers" because this is where the port's ropes are made.
This also explains why it was the epicenter of prostitution for decades. By the way, even today, Herberstrase, the street symbol of the red-light district, remains closed by gates serving as a physical and visual border. A sign warns that entry is prohibited for minors under 18 and women not engaged in the world's oldest profession.
How to get there. Iberia offers direct flights between Madrid and Hamburg.
Where to stay. Hotel Hampton by Hilton. Central and functional. From 90 euros.
More information. On the websites of German Tourismwww.germany.travel/es/home.html (in Spanish) and Hamburg Tourismwww.hamburgtravel.com
Getting around. With the Hamburg CARD, the official ticket of the city of Hamburg. It offers free travel on buses, trains, and harbor ferries, as well as up to 50% off at over 150 attractions.