Hamburg, Germany Attractions

Historic Warehouse District

Known as the Speicherstadt and built between 1883 and 1927, Hamburg’s warehouse district is home to several notable museums including the German Customs Museum, the Hamburg Dungeon, and the Afghan Museum. The warehouses themselves line both streets and canals. Many have been transformed into shops, galleries, clubs, and restaurants. Rich in architectural detail, with arches, towers and other ornamental flourishes, the district was recently designated as a heritage site. But these warehouses don’t simply offer visitors a glimpse of the past; they continue to store goods being shipped in and out of Europe, and at any given time house one third of the world’s oriental rugs.