The Hamburg Alster is a 56 km long tributary of the Elbe. Its best known, most striking part is the Alstersee directly in Hamburg.
Activities at and on the Alster
Very beautiful walks are possible along the Alster. The buildings along the Binnenalster are characterized by white facades and copper-covered roofs of the office and commercial buildings from the Wilhelminian period - an architecture that can only be found here. Locals and tourists alike enjoy taking cruises on the Alster. The sunset on the Außenalster with its romantic flair is a highlight in itself. The adjacent attractions are also worth a visit.
Outer Alster, Inner Alster and Alster Lake
The Alster shapes Hamburg almost like the Elbe and consists of several sections. Its source is in Henstedt-Rhen outside Hamburg. The river reaches the Hanseatic city in the north, at the Krugkoppel Bridge it merges into the Outer Alster. After the Kennedy- and the Lombardsbrücke it is then called Binnenalster. This flows as Alsterfleet and Kleine Alster into the Elbe.
The Außenalster is a river dammed up to a lake, which becomes the Alstersee. The damming up was already carried out from the year 1235 at today's Jungfernstieg by a so-called "upper dam". At that time, the people of Hamburg operated their mills with the Alster water. In the following centuries, the Alster Lake developed from this.
The Außenalster as a local recreation area
The Outer Alster is 164 hectares in size and has beautiful banks practically throughout, where walks are worthwhile. Small sailing ships and Alster steamers make their rounds on the Alstersee. The Alsterpark and many other green areas, including the Alsterwiese Schwanenwik, are located directly on the Outer Alster. If you settle down for a picnic in this oasis, you will forget the hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan city of Hamburg in just a few minutes.
Visitors have the best view over the water at sunset on the eastern bank: then the sunset glows romantically over the backdrop of the city. A few meters away is the Holy Trinity Church, a short walk leads to the park Planten un Blomen and the main church St. Nikolai.
