Altes Land, Cultural landscape near Hamburg, Germany.
Altes Land is a cultural landscape along the Elbe River near Hamburg and covers 143 square kilometers with Europe's largest connected fruit-growing area. Around 10 million fruit trees shape the flat marshland between Hamburg districts and Lower Saxony municipalities on the southern riverbank.
Dutch settlers arrived in the Elbe marshes in 1113 under Archbishop Friedrich I of Bremen and transformed swampland into fertile farmland through advanced drainage systems. Their techniques for land reclamation and water control laid the foundation for today's fruit-growing region.
Village roads pass through half-timbered farmhouses with ornately decorated gateways and flower-adorned entrances, while long orchards extend behind each home. During spring blossom time, pink and white flowers transform the countryside into a sprawling garden that draws visitors from across the region.
Travelers can reach this area through Hamburg districts of Neuenfelde, Cranz and Francop or through Lower Saxony towns of Jork and Stade south of the Elbe. Cycling paths cross the flat terrain and connect individual villages, making it easy to plan a tour without a car.
The name arose from a mistranslation of the Low Saxon word „Olland
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