Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [546]
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Orientation
On the eastern bank of the Weser River lies Hamelin’s circular Altstadt. The main streets are Osterstrasse, which runs east–west, and Bäckerstrasse, the north–south axis.
The Hauptbahnhof is about 800m east of the centre. Turn right out of the station square (past the roundabout), follow Bahnhofstrasse to Diesterstrasse and turn left. Diesterstrasse becomes Diesterallee, where you’ll find the tourist office, and then Osterstrasse. Buses 3, 4, 5 and 6 are just some of the lines that will take you into town.
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Information
Hameln Tourist Information ( 957 823, 0180-551 5150; www.hameln.de; Diesterallee 1; 9am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm Sat, 9.30am-1pm Sun May-Sep, 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm Sat & Sun Oct & Apr) On the eastern edge of the Altstadt (bus stop Bügergarten).
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Sights & Activities
ALTSTADT
Look for the rat symbols cropping up throughout the streets along with information posts (currently only in German) offering a glimpse into the history of Hamelin and its restored 16th- to 18th-century architecture.
The ornamental Weser Renaissance style prevalent throughout the Altstadt has a strong Italian influence, and the finest example of this is the Rattenfängerhaus (Rat Catcher’s House; Osterstrasse 28), from 1602, with its typically steep and richly decorated gable. Walking along Osterstrasse towards the Markt, you pass Leisthaus at No 9, built for a patrician grain trader in 1585–89 in the Weser Renaissance style and today housing the Hamelin City Museum ( 202 1215; Osterstrasse 8-9). This was being restored and upgraded at the time of publication, but in its new incarnation should be very worthwhile for more on the town’s history. Next door is another Weser Renaissance beauty, the Stiftsherrenhaus, dating from 1558 and the only surviving building in Hamelin decorated with figures. It depicts two themes, one of planetary gods from classical times, and the other of biblical figures.
On the corner of Markt and Osterstrasse you find the Hochzeitshaus (1610–17), partly used today as city council offices and as a police station. The Rattenfänger Glockenspiel at the far end of the building chimes daily at 9.35am and 11.35am, while a carousel of Pied Piper figures twirls at 1.05pm, 3.35pm and 5.35pm.
The heart of Hamelin is the Markt (square) and its northern continuation, Pferdemarkt (Equestrian Square), where during the Middle Ages knights fought it out in tournaments. On the eastern side of Pferdemarkt is a sculpture by the eastern German artist Wolfgang Dreysse, The Opening of the Iron Curtain, dealing with the collapse of the East German border.
SCHLOSS HÄMELSCHENBURG
Some 15km southwest of Hamelin near a tributary of the Weser River is Schloss Hämelschenburg ( 05155-951 690; www.schloss-haemelschenburg.de; Schlossstrasse 1, Emmerthal; tours adult/concession €5.50/3.50; tours 11am, noon, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm Tue-Sun Apr & Oct, also 10am & 5pm Tue-Sun May-Sep), a Renaissance residence dating from 1588–1613 set in pretty parkland. This is among the best of its ilk in Germany, and was built on a former pilgrimage road that eventually led to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. Tours, which are the only way to see the palace, take you through rooms decked out with original Renaissance furnishings and paintings, but getting there can be half the fun if you cycle along the Weser – follow the Weser River bicycle path (http://weser-radweg.de, in German) south, then the signs near Emmerthal – or take bus 40 (€2.60, 30 minutes) to the residence from the train station.
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Sleeping & Eating
Ask the tourist office about camping, a 15-minute walk north of town.
DJH hostel ( 3425; www.jugendherberge.de/jh/hameln; Fischbeckerstrasse 33; dm under/over 27yr