City of Warehouses (Speicherstadt)

Area in Hamburg

Speicherstadt—literally “City of Warehouses”—is the world’s largest contiguous warehouse complex, built between 1883 and 1927 on oak-pile foundations in what was Hamburg’s free port zone. Its neo‑Gothic red brick buildings, connected by narrow canals, bridges, and fleet waterways, once served to store goods like coffee, spices, tea, cocoa, and oriental carpets—all imported duty‑free under port regulations of the German Empire.

Since its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 (alongside the Kontorhaus district and Chilehaus), Speicherstadt has transformed into a cultural and architectural gem of Hamburg. Inside its historic warehouses are notable attractions such as the International Maritime Museum (housed in the oldest warehouse, Kaispeicher B), the Miniatur Wunderland, the German Customs Museum, and the Spicy’s Spice Museum—each offering a unique lens into the area’s maritime and trade heritage.

Exploring Speicherstadt is best done on foot or by canal boat, winding through picturesque red-brick facades and arch-lined alleys. Top photo opportunities include the Wasserschloss (“water castle”) seen from the Poggenmühlenbrücke, as well as bridges like Kibbelsteg and Pickhubenbrücke that frame interwoven waters and warehouses. Visitors can also pause at cafés like Fleetschlösschen, once a customs office—now a favored spot for coffee and canal views.

The City of Warehouses (Speicherstadt) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Hamburg!

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