Ernst-August-Carree

The Ernst-August-Carree is a retail building and architectural monument in Hannover's Mitte district. The complex features a large interior courtyard with multiple floors of white walls topped by a glass roof around 17 meters high, and contains over 17 separate retail units spread across several levels.

The building was constructed between 1870 and 1872 and originally served as the headquarters of the Royal Railway Directorate of Hannover. Later it was transformed into a retail center, leaving behind its initial role as an administrative hub.

The building displays classical architectural features including pilasters and a distinctive yellow brick facade with red decorative bands. These design choices shape how the place looks today and show how the city has woven its older structures into the urban landscape.

You can enter the complex through three ground-floor entrances, with four staircases connecting the different levels. Plan enough time to explore all the retail units spread across the various floors.

The interior courtyard is designed in Mediterranean style, representing a modern adaptation of the original 19th-century railway administration building's design. This transformation shows how the historic structure remained alive and adapted to new purposes.