Image by Ute Kreitz

Let’s descend to the bottom of the Elbe river! The old Elbe tunnel, opened in 1911, is one of the oldest still operating tunnels in Europe. Open to traffic and pedestrians, it connects the inner city of Hamburg at Landungsbrücken (north entrance) with the shipyards at Steinwerder (south entrance). The south side of the Elbe river offers a spectacular view of Hamburg’s cityscape that is most impressive when it’s lit at night.

If you feel daring, walk down the staircase, which takes you 24 m below the surface. If you’d rather save your energy, hop onto one of the elevators instead. The best time to explore during the week is after 20:00, or on weekends when the tunnel is closed to traffic. Take in the full scope of the decorative elements, and admire the glazed ceramic reliefs depicting maritime motifs on the walls of the 426 m long tiled tubes.

Recently, this historic landmark has inspired various annual projects: For the past 8 years, 100 Marathon Club Deutschland e.V. has been organizing the Elbtunnel marathon every last Sunday in January. Since 2007, ElbArt has been inviting local artists to exhibit their work in the tunnel in the summertime.

Currently, the tunnel is under construction (until 2012) with only one accessible tube. You’ll find the entrance of the tunnel (with elevators and stairs) to the right of the Landungsbrücken gates. When you get to the south side, turn right (make a u-turn) and walk around the back of the building to the Elbe platform.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
The old Elbe tunnel | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events | Free
Landungsbrücken 7 | Sankt Pauli | +4940428474742
24 hours daily for pedestrians & cyclists

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