Attraction
Miniatur Wunderland
The world's largest model railway according to Guinness World Records, filling several floors of a Speicherstadt warehouse with miniature landscapes, trains, airports and cities.
Elbphilharmonie
Herzog & de Meuron's glass concert hall on a 1960s brick warehouse, with a public Plaza 37 metres up that gives a full circuit of views over the harbour.
At a glance
- Type
- Concert hall and public viewing plaza
- Area
- HafenCity, Hamburg, Germany
- Official site
- elbphilharmonie.de
Good to know
- Public Plaza with 360-degree walkway
- Curved escalator
- Shop
- Snack bar
- Plaza tours
Why we recommend it
The Elbphilharmonie is the building that changed Hamburg's skyline. Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron placed a wave-topped glass structure on top of Kaispeicher A, a brick quayside warehouse at the western tip of HafenCity, and kept the old brick base as the plinth. It opened on 11 January 2017 after a long and expensive build, and at 108 metres it is the tallest inhabited building in the city. Inside are the 2,100-seat Grand Hall, laid out vineyard-style around a central stage, a 550-seat Recital Hall and the smaller Kaistudio used for education work.
You do not need a concert ticket to enjoy it. The Plaza, on the eighth floor at the top of the brick section and 37 metres above the ground, is open to the public and runs right round the building, so you can walk a complete loop with open views over the Elbe and across the city. The approach is part of the experience: an 82-metre curved escalator, known as the Tube, carries you up through the old warehouse to a panorama window, followed by a shorter escalator to the Plaza.
Plaza access is by ticket. Children under three need none, and there is a reduced rate for under-18s and students. Standard tickets carry a booking fee, but booking in advance guarantees entry at your chosen time, which is useful on summer weekends and in the late afternoon when the light is best. Concert tickets for either hall include Plaza access from two hours before the performance. Guided Plaza tours are also offered, and the shop, a snack bar and the lobby of the Westin hotel are on the same level.
The Grand Hall hosts orchestral concerts, while the Recital Hall is used for recitals, chamber music and jazz; the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra gave the opening concert in 2017. Tickets for popular dates sell out quickly, so check the programme well before you travel. If you cannot get a seat, a Plaza visit still gives a good sense of the building, and the brick and glass exterior is best seen from the water on a harbour ferry or from the Landungsbrücken piers.
Allow 45 minutes to an hour for the Plaza. The building stands at the western tip of HafenCity, and the Speicherstadt and Miniatur Wunderland are within walking distance. The Elbphilharmonie Visitor Center on Am Kaiserkai can help with tickets and information.
Elbphilharmonie FAQs
Do you need a ticket to visit the Elbphilharmonie Plaza?
Yes, Plaza entry is by ticket; booking online in advance guarantees access at a chosen time, and children under three go free.
What are the Plaza opening hours?
The official site lists the Plaza as open daily from 10:00 to 24:00, with last admission at 23:30 and different hours on 24 and 31 December.
How high is the Plaza?
It is on the eighth floor, 37 metres above the ground, and you can walk all the way round the building.
How big are the concert halls?
The Grand Hall seats 2,100 people and the Recital Hall 550, with the Kaistudio used for smaller events.
Do concert tickets include the Plaza?
Yes, a ticket for the Grand Hall or Recital Hall includes Plaza access from two hours before the performance.
Where is the visitor centre?
The Elbphilharmonie Visitor Center is at Am Kaiserkai 62 in HafenCity.
How long should you allow?
About 45 minutes to an hour for the Plaza, longer if you join a Plaza tour or stay for a drink.
Who designed the building?
The Swiss practice Herzog & de Meuron, who built it on top of the old Kaispeicher A warehouse.