The view from the bridge
Buildings reflected in the water between the walls — the classic image of Hamburg's inner canals.
Ajepbah — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · FOTO:Fortepan — ID 74368: Adományozó/Donor: Romák Éva. archive copy at the Wayback Machine — CC BY-SA 3.0 · FOTO:Fortepan — ID 74369: Adományozó/Donor: Romák Éva. archive copy at the Wayback Machine — CC BY-SA 3.0
They are the old canals running through central Hamburg that connect the Alster lake with the Elbe. They were the main transport routes before lorries, carrying water right up to the warehouses. It is why Hamburg is said to have more bridges than Venice.
As a brief stop, yes — it lies on the route between the Alster and the Speicherstadt. But do not make a trip of it. If you want the canals properly, take a boat through them; that is a far better experience than looking from a bridge.
The canals around the historic Speicherstadt are far finer and better known, with their red brick warehouses and iron bridges. This one runs through the commercial centre and is less striking, though closer to the shopping streets.
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The Bleichenfleet is one of the Fleete — the old canals cutting through central Hamburg that link the Alster lake with the Elbe. These waterways were the city's main transport routes before lorries, with goods arriving by boat at the warehouse doors themselves. Today the canal runs between commercial buildings and hotels, with walkways and cafés along its banks. The view from the bridges over it is among the prettiest in central Hamburg, especially when the buildings reflect in the water. It is free and always open — a short stop on a walk through the centre rather than a destination.
Buildings reflected in the water between the walls — the classic image of Hamburg's inner canals.
Cafés and restaurants with seats at the water's edge, pleasant in good weather.
Small boats touring the canals pass through here, setting out from nearby jetties.
Bleichenbrücke, 20354 Hamburg