My Way by Gabriel Arsene: Culture and History in the Hanseatic Cities (II)

Two harbor cities to the North Sea, two gateways to the world, Hamburg and Bremen are linked with Constanta, the main Romanian harbor, by the world’s seas and by modern airways, and the same from Bucharest… A couple of hours flight and you find yourself in a German world, maybe in an area which value the most freedom (Free and Hanseatic Town) and their cosmopolitan lifestyle. Together with their history and the culture, local and international.

Must-see Attractions in Bremen

Bremen Town Musicians

You cannot miss the Bremen Town Musicians, the UNESCO World Heritage town hall, Universum Bremen, the Kunsthalle art gallery, the Bürgerpark and many more...
Exciting interactive exhibitions and science centres, insights into the technologies of tomorrow – Bremen’s is home to numerous projects that prove that science is anything but dry and boring.
Bremen Town Musicians - west of the town hall stands the most famous representation of the Bremen Town Musicians, the bronze sculpture created in 1951 by the artist Gerhard Marcks, after a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
Roland - Bremen statue of liberty. Bremen's "statue of liberty" - a symbol of trading rights and freedom since 1404. It’s the Germany's largest Roland statue. Together with Bremen's town hall, the statue received World Heritage status on June 2, 2004. Measuring five and a half metres, the stone giant was erected in 1404, after its wooden predecessor was destroyed by the archbishop's soldiers in 1366. The statue symbolized the freedom and independence of the city.

Bremen town hall

Bremen town hall - Built between 1405 and 1410, with a Weser Renaissance facade added in the 17th century, it is regarded as the jewel in the crown of the historical market square. The Upper Hall, where the city council used to convene, is the most magnificent ceremonial venue in Bremen. The model ships that hang from the ceiling bear witness to the importance of commerce and maritime trade for the city. Their miniature cannons can even be fired if the occasion demands.
St. Peter’s Cathedral - Protestant/Lutheran church with a history spanning more than 1,200 years. Early-Gothic style from the first half of the 13th century. Set between the town hall and the State Parliament, the cathedral completes the ensemble of historical buildings on Bremen's market square. Its two towers, one of which is open to be visited, are visible from afar and dominate the city skyline.

St. Peter’s Cathedral

Bremen Ratskeller - Historical restaurant beneath the town hall: 600 years of tradition, 650 German wines, grand hall with ornate wine barrels & columns, vaulted cellar, speciality... The German poet Heinrich Heine was inspired to put his experience here into verse.
Böttcherstrasse carillon - The carillon consists of 30 Meissen porcelain bells, which play a mixture of sea shanties and traditional folk songs. The revolving tower features ten carved wooden panels depicting various Atlantic crossings. Every hour on the hour, from April to December, the carillon delights visitors of all ages. Built in the 1920s, Böttcherstrasse is a fascinating 110 metre-long lane houses shops and restaurants, museums, workshops and a carillon.
Windmill in Wallanlagen park (Mühle am Wall) - Mill dating back over a century in Wallanlagen Park, open to visitors, but also houses a restaurant.

In Schnoor...

Schnoor quarter - Bremen's oldest district, the Schnoor quarter, is a maze of lanes lined with little 15th and 16th century houses. Pretty little half-timbered houses, with narrow lanes between the rows of buildings. The name of the quarter may allude to the fact that the houses are lined up like pearls on a string, Schnoor being Low German for Schnur (string). Another interpretation of the name is that this part of the old fishermen's quarter, right by the river Weser, was where the rope makers used to live. You can look here for arts and crafts and handmade gold, rest your legs in one of the many cafés and restaurants or buy a souvenir to take home. In Schnoor, shops are open also on Sundays until 4 pm.
Bremen has its sister city of Bremerhaven, the actual sea harbour. Bremerhaven, the biggest city on Germany's North Sea coast, is situated where the Weser river empties into the North Sea.