If you go for a walk in the south of Hamburg, you might be lucky enough to spot cormorants – dazzling black birds with long necks and orange hooked beaks that rest in the damp lowlands of the Harburg City Park. Birds of prey such as hawks, buzzards and the rare kingfisher also live here. The renaturalised park is now an attractive hunting and retreat area – and one of the most exciting bird sanctuaries in the city, just 30 minutes from the main railway station.
Despite having an industrial harbour and a population of over 1.8 million, Hamburg is one of the greenest cities in Europe: almost a fifth of the area consists of meadows, forests, parks and water – half of which is protected. This means that Hamburg has the highest proportion of protected natural areas in Germany.
Nature in the centre of the city
Hamburg's green structure is based on a green space strategy dating back over 100 years. Since 1914, the public parks have been expanded from an initial 200 hectares to over 3.000 hectares – visionary plans by the horticultural department of the time. Today, green lungs such as the Altonaer Volkspark, the Hamburg City Park between Barmbek and Winterhude or the park-like Ohlsdorf Cemetery, the largest park cemetery in the world, characterise the cityscape. Old avenues run through urban neighbourhoods, canals and river arms meander through the city, often lined with wild nature.
Sustainable urban development
Hamburg was named "European Capital of the Environment" in 2011, thanks in part to ambitious plans to reduce CO₂ emissions by 80 % by 2050. The city is pursuing resource-conserving "inward growth", in which brownfield and industrial sites are repurposed. The most prominent example: the HafenCity Hamburg, the largest inner-city urban development project in Europe. Modern neighbourhoods with architectural awards for sustainability and energy efficiency are being built on 157 hectares.
Another showcase project is the climate-neutral urban redevelopment in Wilhelmsburg as part of the International Building Exhibition (IBA) 2013, where the 100-hectare Wilhelmsburg Island Park with sports facilities, playgrounds, sunbathing lawns, a high ropes course and a canoe canal. The park connects the two sides of the Elbe and is one of the largest newly created green spaces in Germany.
Citizens help shape urban greenery
Hamburg's citizens are actively contributing to the greening of the city. One example is Park Fiction in St. Pauli: a planned office building was transformed into a social urban garden by artists and residents – with lawns, dog playgrounds and a view of the harbour. Urban gardening initiatives such as the Gartendeck or KEBAP (KulturEnergieBunkerAltona) also show how city dwellers are transforming brownfield sites and rooftops into green meeting places.
The green bunker in St. Pauli – urban history meets future vision
An outstanding example of innovative urban greening is the remodelled Bunker at Heiligengeistfeld in St. Pauli. Originally built as an air raid shelter during the Second World War, the massive structure has developed into a lively centre for culture, nature and community – and has recently been opened to the public.
The most recent extension raised the bunker to a height of 58 metres, supplemented by five floors with around 20.000 plants and trees covering almost 10.000 square metres. The spectacular roof garden offers a free 360-degree view over the city. Visitors can climb the 335 steps or walk along the 560 metre long "mountain path" that spirals around the building – a unique experience in the middle of the city.
Inside you will find the REVERB by Hard Rock Hotel with artist residences, events and music formats, five different catering options and the Georg-Elser-Halle which offers space for concerts, culture and sport. The bunker will thus become both a cultural beacon and a green landmark.
At the same time, it remains a place of remembrance: the building commemorates the horrors of the Nazi regime and offers space for reflection and social engagement. The transformation from war relic to green oasis symbolises Hamburg's sustainable development – and impressively demonstrates how history and the future can be united architecturally.
