St. Georg, a district in the middle of the city

St. Georg

St. Georg fought for a long time to be connected to the Hanseatic city, but only after the great fire in Hamburg (1842) increasingly rich citizens came from the destroyed town to St. Georg. Within the years between 1840 and 1900, the population rose on to 97000. After 1860, the quiet suburb St. George turned in to an extremely lively district of Hamburg - an entertainment place that even could not be disturbed by the cholera epidemic in 1892.
The quarter of Hamburg, which is situated in the middle of the centre, owes its name to Saint George. The first hospital for lepers was founded in 1200 and named after the saint of the leprous. Until 1951 the sick persons were under cared and buried in St. George, and then they closed the foundation.

The "Deutsche Schauspielhaus" (theatre) opened around the turn of the century and the central station officially opened in 1906.
Today, the district does not seem inviting at all with the large number of force and theft crimes, but still many young people feel drawn here where everyday life is multicultural and offers much change.

"Kirchenallee" near main station - Hamburger Hauptbahnhof (main station)
“Kirchenallee”/direction of St. Georg churchyard - Deutsches Schauspielhaus at Kirchenallee

An impressive district culture has developed apart from child prostitution and drug scene by the engagement of the inhabitants and the 120 years old "citizen organisation St. George". Between Schauspielhaus, Alster and Art gallery at the Glockengießer Wall it teems with initiatives and facilities, which make life varied and colourful in St. Georg.

Since it’s founding St. Georg has been a district of contrasts. People of all races, cultures and religions live in the foreigner richest quarter of Hamburg - African, Arabian and Asian Muslims and members of Christian religions cohabit here according to their individual traditions in next-door neighbourhood.

The Roman Catholic Bishop diocese "St. Marien" is located here ...

The cathedral church is situated in the middle of St. Georg like an oasis of the quiet in this lively district. "Our desert is the city."

St. Marien, a Neo-Romanesque church built in 1890-93 after plans of the architect Arno Güldenpfennig from Paderborn, was the first Roman Catholic Church building after the reformation. It was consecrated on June 28th, 1893. The façade with the two towers gives a reference to the Bremen cathedral and with that on the 831 under St. Ansgar founded archbishopric. Ansgar became the first bishop of the archbishopric Hamburg in the year 831.

St. Marien - Nave - Font

The Ansgar painting of Hans Bornemann (1457) from the old Hamburg Marien-Cathedral, which was renovated in 1668 and newly framed, hangs in the Protestant main church St. Petri now. A copy was done in 2003 after the original painting of 1457. It was handed over to the Roman Catholic cathedral church St. Marien to the Ansgar day in 2004.

Since the re-establishment of the archbishopric Hamburg in the year 1995 St. Marien also is cathedral of the archbishop of Hamburg.

... as well as the Protestant Lutheran church

The Protestant Lutheran Parish of St. Georg consists of two locations with a church each. Their names are

"Dreieinigkeitskirche St. Georg" and "Erlöserkirche St. Georg-Borgfelde"

Where the "Dreieinigkeitskirche" (Trinity Church) is situated today, used to stand the chapel of St. George Hospital in the past. In 1627, this chapel was appointed parish church.
The look of the tower of this apparently old baroque church suggests that it is an old building, but the church, built at 1747, was destroyed at a bomb raid in July 1943. Only the almost 76 meters high tower could be reconstructed after old Drawings, but the church building was built up according to new plans of the architect Heinz Graaf between 1954 and 1957.

The "Dreieinigkeitskirche - the bronze calvary group - Statue of saint Georg

The mosaic “The Holy Trinity“ by Karl Knappe in the today’ s church is worth seeing as well as the crucifixion group made of bronze.

Since 1958, a sculpture of Saint George created by the sculptor Gerhard Marcks, stands on the churchyard.

and in addition the Merkez Camii central mosque has its place in St. Georg

Pictures of "Merkez Camii" on "bildarchiv hamburg.de"

Despite of war destruction and after-war demolition period St. George offers a variety of architectural gems. In the street "Lange Reihe" one finds New Renaissance façades just like Art Nouveau houses and brick buildings in the Gothic style. Large office houses, Biedermeier period semi-detached houses and big-city floor houses alternate with 300 years old half-timbered houses.
A stroll in St. George is worthwhile particularly if you are interested in architecture.

The Alster