Landhaus Baur

Landhaus Baur is a neoclassical country house in Nienstedten with a striking two-story circular main hall whose dome rises 10 meters high and features Corinthian pilasters and sculptural figures in wall niches. The roughly 600-square-meter building contains about 20 rooms and currently serves as headquarters for the Hermann Reemtsma Foundation.

The house was built between 1804 and 1806 by architect Christian Frederik Hansen for merchant Johann Heinrich Baur, who drew inspiration from Rome's Pantheon for the design. This period saw the classical style flourishing across Northern Europe as wealthy Hamburg citizens commissioned grand country estates.

The house reflects the wealth and taste of Hamburg's merchant class in the early 1800s. Visitors can still experience the elegant design today, which shows how prosperous families lived and used their homes as a display of their success.

The house sits in the villa district of Nienstedten along the Elbe River, reachable by public transport. Visitors should check ahead of time whether tours are possible and under what conditions, as the building primarily functions as a working office today.

The facade features light stucco work with straight window canopies framed by an Ionic-columned portico and adorned with relief medallions throughout. A major restoration between 2002 and 2003 gave the main hall soft pastel earth tones and Carrara marble floors that define its appearance today.