Text and Photos © Cesare Zucca

Today I am taking you to Germany, in Hanover, a city terrifyingly destroyed by the bombings of World War II, it has been reborn with modern urban criteria, maintaining architectural and artistic elements of great interest.

A modern metropolis that knows how to maintain an ancient charm and which, immediately upon your arrival, does not fail to reserve you a special ‘welcome’ with its … “Roter Faden”, a red thread painted in the streets that connects all the major points of interest and that, as if it were a private guide, makes you discover the city passing by the most representative buildings in a walk of over 4 kilometers.

TO BE SEEN

Neues Rathaus
Residence of the mayor, who heads the municipal administration. In the entrance hall, under the almost one hundred meter high dome, four models show what Hanover was like in the Middle Ages, before the Second World War, after the destruction in 1945 and finally today. Three splendid rooms: the Hodler with its monumental fresco entitled “Unanimity”, the Mosaic and the Ladies, ennobled by a magnificent decoration.

Feeling like going up?
An extraordinary lift with a parabolic curve awaits you that has no equal anywhere in the world. In fact, it climbs the 43 meters that lead to the gallery at the top of the dome, maintaining an angle of 17 degrees. There are only six of us, so you have to wait your turn. Once you arrive at your destination, a splendid view of the entire city awaits you

The Great Garden of Herrenhausen
One of the best preserved and most important gardens in Europe. A true masterpiece of Baroque art enriched by large fountains, water features, abyrinth statues, open-air theater, gallery and an orangery, a waterfall, a museum, a suggestive 18th century cave decorated with shells, crystals, glass and minerals.
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To the north of the Great Garden is the Berggarten, originally a vegetable garden for the court company, and later transformed into a lush botanical garden with more than 11,000 species of flowers and plants.

MUSEUMS

Sprengel Museum:
A white spiral that flies towards the sky welcomes you in this futuristic museum of modern and contemporary art, in the spectacular architectural structure that collects important works by Picasso, Sol LeWitt, Max Ernst and Marc Chagall.
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Luftfahrt Museum:
It evokes the history of German aviation through aircraft from the thirties and the Second World War to the present day.
Kestner Museum:
It holds precious Egyptian, Greek and Roman arts. Pharaoh Akhenato of 1350 BC it is the most important piece of the collection.

Landes Museum
It houses several collections presented in three worlds: NaturWelten, MenschenWelten and KunstWelten. A journey through natural history, archeology, paintings and sculptures and a collection of coins. The museum boasts a collection of prehistoric objects, a section devoted to the cultures of distant civilizations, exotic aquariums and a 17th-century German painting gallery.

The Markthalle
In Hanover there is no problem of finding the freshest food: as many as 26 weekly markets offer top quality products in an evocative setting, Among these stands out the Markthalle, the city’s traditional Covered Market, with its over 70 stalls, among which it is pleasant to enter to browse, shop or simply enjoy a ready meal. Ah, don’t forget to taste the very simple and delicious sweet bread that Going has been serving since 1920!

My lovely guide Elke introduced me to some really new local specialties. , like the thousand homemade soups, already beautifully ready and stuffed into plastic tubs. You are spoiled for choice!

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Tante sono le specialità gastronomiche di Hannover e dintorni,
Gli asparagi di Burgdorf,  l’anguilla affumicata del lago Steinhuder Meer  mentre aa vera regina della tavola è la salsiccia di maiale affumicata che ritroviamo nel  Braunkohl unt Bregenwurst  servita con cavolo nero e patate bollite.tipica  oppure nell’ Hannoversche Bouillonwurst unt Calenberger Pfannenschlag, piatto unico che unisce alla carne tritata chicchi di cereali.

What ‘s in the glass? Beer!

Hannover was renowned throughout northern Germany for its own beer style, Broyhan. It was invented by Cord Broyhan in 1526. In style, it was a top-fermented pale wheat beer, something similar ro Leipziger Gose or Berliner Weisse. Like most of the north German styles it was destroyed by a combination of the Reinheitsgebot and the introduction of lager. Gilde still brew a beer called Broyhan, though it is just another pale lager. One local beer which does still survive is Lüttje Lage.
A dark, top-fermented beer it’s a sort of Schankbier Alt. It’s usually drunk simultaneously with Korn, both glasses being held in the same hand. I imagine it takes a little practice to perform this feat without soaking your shirt. Examples are brewed by Gilde, Herrenhäuser and Schaumburger. The legendary Mumme is still produced, but is now an alcohol-free malt drink that is mixed with other beers. One brewery, the appropriately-named Braunschweiger Mumme, still makes it.

The typical dishes are strictly accompanied by a craft beer from the traditional Herrenhäuser brewery which, together with numerous craft breweries attached to the pubs, produces excellent quality beers., Including Birra Helles and the legendary Gilde Brauerei, the oldest company still operating in Hanover.

Homemade sweets
A delicious reminiscence of the kingdom of Hanover is the Welfenspeise (“Guelph pudding”), a dessert consisting of a layer of vanilla and milk cream topped with a layer of wine cream. The most traditional dessert? The top cake in Hanover is the Apfelkuken, (an apple cake coated with a generous dose of crumble with crumble and, if you really want to overdo it … a generous sprinkling of whipped cream. There is no better ‘welcome’ than a slice of this delicacy …..
Speaking of welcome, I recommend the Hanover Card, which will help you discover the city and the region of Hanover by public transport: buses, S-Bahn trains and trams within the entire transport network of Greater Hanover ( GVH). and will offer you a city tour at a reduced price, discounts in numerous restaurants and reduced prices for visiting tourist attractions.

WHERE TO EAT
After a long search, I found a ‘real’ restaurant! It is Reimanns Eck and offers a strictly German menu, with specialties from Hanover and other cities in Germany. I chose the delicious Konigsberger 2.0 pork and veal meatballs, served with beets and mashed potatoes and the Bunter Tomaten Brotsalat, a toasted bread salad with cherry tomatoes and fried chanterelle mushrooms (which I love …).

If you want to opt for a less typically German and more international solution, bet on Stadmaurer where you can enjoy a variety of international cuisine crossed in a modern and elegant setting overlooking the Leine. Shrimps fried in garlic oil or Spanish peppers with sea salt, homemade burgers, a pizza or one of the rich bowls, the restaurant’s prerogative.

Where to sleep
I chose one of the hotels of the Me and All chain, located in the very central Aegidientorplatz 3, a step away from the subway and the wonderful tree-lined riverside that takes you to the museums. Really nice and welcoming hotel, vaguely ‘disco-funky’ judging by the lights, the furniture, the classic mirror ball and the mega vinyl posters hanging on the walls of the rooms, which, again to surprise, have the sink in sight.
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INFO
Visit Hannover
Sightseeing-City-Tours/Tourist-Highlightshttps://
www.visit-hannover.com/en/Accommodation-Arrangements

At this link, virtually discover the city, following the red line “Roter Faden”,

Happy Weekend in Hannover !