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Jungfernstieg on the Alster has long been Hamburg’s premier thoroughfare for strolling and shopping.


Jungfernstieg on the Alster has long been Hamburg’s premier thoroughfare for strolling and shopping.

 

GPS Coordinates

1 -- Jungfernstieg, Hamburg, Germany
Decimal Lat: 53.55226 / Lon: 9.994426
Degree

 

Jungfernstieg – a place to stroll

It is one of the most beautiful and exquisite shopping streets in the whole world.

Jungfernstieg on the Alster has long been Hamburg’s premier thoroughfare for strolling and shopping. Families would take their Sunday walks here, parading their unmarried daughters (or Jungfern). Jungfernstieg remains something very special as always – the place in Hamburg to see and be seen. This is not simply a question of its ideal location on the banks of the Alster.

Today everything revolves here around shopping in large department stores and exquisite small shops. Shopping here becomes a culture. Large and small, select stores compete with one another in offering exclusive ranges. The wonderful Jungfernstieg is located between the Reesendammbridge and the Gänsemarkt.

In front of the Binnenalster (“Inner Alster Lake”) you will find Hamburg’s most popular promenade – the Jungfernstieg. Its name leads back to a civic rite. A long time ago families came to the Jungfernstieg on sundays for taking a walk with their unmarried ladies, the damsels (german word: “Jungfer”). The name “Jungfern”stieg resulted from this rite.

By the way, the Jungfernstieg was the first street in Germany which was asphalted. Demolition and rebuilding took away a bit of the former masterly architecture of the Jungfernstieg but there are still sights left in all their beauty – e.g. the gorgeous “Alsterarkaden”. It was renovated only some time ago. There are plenty of exquisite shops in the inner of the “Alsterarkaden”.

Also in the passage at the “Hamburger Hof” you will be able to buy many special products. The most traditional building is the Alster-Pavillon of course. At this place you can have a coffee and a phenomenal view over the Alster – and all this since 1799, a very long time. One of Hamburg’s former mayors Max Brauer was sure that this was the most beautiful restaurant in whole Germany.

Today you’ll find the Café Alex in the Alster-Pavillon. Right next to the Café there is the Alster-pier. It is just perfect to have a relaxing trip by ship after a shopping expedition. The Binnenalster makes downtown a special place. The fountain in the middle of the lake turned into a special landmark of Hamburg City.

Port of Hamburg as a magnet for tourists