Within the city ring lies the centre of Hannover. Also the Maschpark in the south with the magnificent building of the new city hall (finished in 1913) belongs to the city. In the centre 10,000 inhabitants live on approx. 11 sq. kms. The residential quarters lie in the north between the Königsworther Platz, Arndtstrasse and the Hamburger Allee as well as in the Warmbüchenviertel situated to the east between Marienstrasse, Schiffgraben and Berliner Allee.
As the biggest part of the old city centre was destroyed by the bombardments during World War 2, the ancient city centre with its historical buildings and old half-timbered houses limits itself to some streets between the Marktkirche and the river Leine. Here you can find the most bars and restaurants in town. From rustic, small inns in the lanes, trend bars also for younger people, up to high class gastronomy on the river banks where you can dine on the old terrace above the river in summer times. From there you can see the famous Nanas, the colourful plastics of Niki-de-Saint-Phalle.
However, some prominent historic architectural monuments were preserved or were restored after the war. The gothic old city hall (Altes Rathaus), the market church (Marktkirche ), the Ballhofplatz with the surrounding buildings, the classicistic opera-house and the town castle on the river Leine where instead of the destroyed palace opera house the plenary hall of the Lower Saxon Parliament (Landtag) was added in the 50ies, are to be named here.
The Georgstrasse, Hannover’s main shopping street starts from Ägidientorplatz, crosses Georgsplatz with its financial district and leads up to Steintorplatz in the northwest of town. In the middle lies the place Kröpke with the gigantic underground station at 3 levels where all lines of the underground trains gather radially. The Niki-de-Saint-Phalle-Promenade with countless stores leads underground from the Kröpke beneath the central station up to the Raschplatz with his striking high rises, many discos and the casino (Spielbank). The inside of the central station which belongs to the 5 most important road interchanges in Germany was modernised to the Expo in 2000 and was formed to a living shopping and catering centre.
On the Steintorplatz the Anzeigerhochhaus, one of the oldest high rises of Germany and another witness of the brick expressionism rises with the highest situated cinema of Germany in its prominent dome. 150 m away, on the edge of the amusement quarter, the modern metal facade of the twisted Gehry-Tower shines.
The extensive pedestrian area of the city centre with the big department stores and varied stores lures the people from wide periphery to do the shopping and it is named to be one of the best retail trade locations in Germany.
If you hear more foreign languages than German on your way through the city, one of the big fairs is taking place again. Beside the world-biggest fairs Cebit and Industrial exhibition many other big exhibitions have set up. The biggest Schützenfest of the world, the Hannover marathon or the Féte de la Musique and many other events make the city a great experience and attract hundred thousands of visitors.
