Hanover, State capital in Lower Saxony, Germany
Hannover is the state capital of Lower Saxony and a large city on the Leine river in northern Germany. The center includes wide streets, pedestrian zones and several parks, among them the Herrenhausen Gardens with their Baroque parterres, ponds and a glasshouse for tropical plants.
A medieval village grew into a princely seat of the House of Welf from 1636 and remained capital of the Kingdom of Hanover until 1866. British kings George I, George II and George III came from this dynasty, so the city maintained close ties with Britain for centuries.
Every year around a million people gather for Schützenfest parades, shooting competitions and fairground rides, making it one of the biggest folk festivals in the world. On market days the city center fills with stalls selling cheese, sausages and fresh bread, while locals meet in Altstadt cafés to chat over coffee and cake.
Most sights sit in the compact city center, which you can reach easily on foot or by tram. In April the Hannover Messe takes place, a large trade fair that fills many hotels in advance and raises traffic noticeably.
The New Town Hall has a slanted elevator that climbs the dome at a 17-degree angle and opens views across the city from 97 meters up. Four models in the entrance hall show how the city changed before the bombings, after the war, during reconstruction and today.
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