Hannover

The capital of the Lower Saxony is not only the economic center, but the cultural center of the State as well. Although Hannover has only half a million inhabitants, it can’t be considered a countryside city. But above all, Hannover is a green oasis right in the middle of Germany.

Since the old times, Hannover was already a crossing point of important commercial routes and to this day it still is. Around 250 thousand people cross the central railroad station of the city, which has approximately 500 thousand inhabitants. Hannover is known for being the headquarters of the biggest international industrial fair of the world, and of the CeBIT, the great international display of information and communication technology. With the international exposure due to the fairs, the State capital became known worldwide.

But Hannover offers a lot more to its visitors. And the concern for the wellbeing of tourists in Hannover is so great that they have painted a red line in its sidewalks so that visitors in search of attractions do not miss their orientation. As a silent guide, the line accompanies the interests of tourists for more than four kilometers, crossing all the touristic highlights of the city.

The old Market Square (Markplatz), with its old city hall (built between 1439 and 1455), is located in the historical center (Altstadt). This square, which it was the base for the expansion of the city, there is also the Market Church (Markkirsche) one of the most significant gothic buildings, of the North of Germany. The mention of Hannover appeared for the first time in 1150, as a colony of commerce and it officially received the rights as a city in 1241.

In 1914 the prince Georg Ludwig von Hannover was crowned King George I of England. The union between England and the Principality of Hannover, that was elevated as kingdom in 1815, and ended in the middle of the 19th century with the death of King William IV of England. After the Prussian invasion in 1866, the city was named “capital of the Prussian province”. Due to its important location, the commerce of the city developed fast and soon it became a large city.