Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

36

Above Statue of Roland in the Marktplatz,

Bremen Below right Atlantic Hotel Sail City,

Bremerhaven Below far right Fishing boat

in Bremerhaven

BACK ROADS GERMANY

6 Bremen

Bremen; 21895

A prosperous city on the Weser river with a colorful 1,200-year

history, Bremen is Germany’s oldest port still in use today. The

magnificent town hall and the grand old statue of Roland, both

on the market square, represent its main tourist attractions and

are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Statue of the Bremen

Town Musicians

A two-hour walking tour

Exit the parking lot and continue on

Langenstrasse, then turn left on

Am Markt to the Marktplatz 1 ,

the heart of the city. The town

hall, the cathedral, and the

Roland statue dominate

this impres sive square.

The statue of Roland, a

knight of Charlemagne

who is considered the city’s

protec tor, was erected in

1404. Roland’s sword of
      justice symbolizes the
      judi ciary’s indepen dence,
      and its engraved motto confirms the
      emperor’s edict conferring town
      rights on Bremen. The second monu-
      ment on the square is the statue of
      the Bremen Town Musicians, famous
      protagonists of a Grimm fairy tale.

VISITING BREMEN

Parking

Parking is available on Langenstrasse.

Tourist Information

Hauptbahnhof, 28195; 01805 10 10 30;

http://www.bremen-tourismus.de

5 Bremerhaven

Bremen; 27501

Bremen’s harbor, Bremerhaven,

is worth visiting for its museums.

Designed by renowned architect

Hans Scharoun, the Deutsches

Schiffahrtsmuseum (Nov–19 Mar:

closed Mon; 25 Mar–Oct: open daily), or

the German Maritime Museum,

includes an open-air museum and a

harbor museum. This site features

both origi nals and models of a wide

WHERE TO STAY

BREMERHAVEN

Atlantic Hotel Sail City moderate

Housed in a magnificent building

on the waterfront, this hotel offers

exceptional comfort and good service

at fair prices.

Am Strom 1, 27568; 0471 30 99 00;

http://www.atlantic-hotels.de

BREMEN

Ringhotel Munte am Stadtwald

moderate

This traditional family hotel with its

spacious spa and indoor pool is ideal

for relaxation. The hotel has two

restau rants – Wels, which offers

gourmet fish and game dishes, and

Del Bosco that serves Italian cuisine.

Parkallee 299, 28213; 0421 220 20;

http://www.hotel-munte.de

Park Hotel Bremen expensive

A member of the Leading Hotels of

the World, the luxurious Park Hotel

lives up to high standards with its 177

individually styled rooms and suites.

Im Bürgerpark, 28209; 0421 340 80;

http://www.park-hotel-bremen.de

Con structed in 1953, local legend has

it that touch ing the front hooves of

the donkey will make wishes come

true. From here, turn right on to

Am Dom to visit the Gothic town

hall, the Rathaus 2 (closed Sat &

Sun). Built between 1405 and

1410, the edifice has a

Renaissance façade that

dates to the early 17th cen-

tury. Inside the great hall, a

lovely fresco from 1932

portrays Solomon’s court.

Walk along Am Dom to

the 11th-cen tury Dom 3

(open daily), which stands nearby. The

façade of this Romanesque cathe dral

fea tures two spires. Inside are historic

trea sures such as the stone bas-

reliefs dividing the west ern choir

stalls. In the second eastern chapel,

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

range of ships. The most attractive

exhi bit here is the Seute Deern, the

last great German sailing ship. The

Deutsches Auswandererhaus, a

museum, recounts the German emi-

grant expe ri ence of the 19th century

with costu med models and replicas

of the cabins and family histories

written in the travellers’ own words.

ª Return to the B6, which meets the

A27. Continue on the A27, then turn

right on the B6 to reach Bremen.