Travel Guide Hanover

The architecture of Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony, is very heterogeneous. During the Second World War, 90% of its city centre was destroyed, as was 60% of the urban area. This city, once the residence of the Dukes of Hanover, kings of England, is not known for its aesthetics. Since the 1950s, it has been a test city for architects in need of modernism. Concrete cubes stand alongside pretty historic buildings, a red brick church drowns in large, soulless arteries. Another church, burnt and almost destroyed, is the silent witness to the horrors of the Second World War. The city centre mainly contains shopping centres. Hannover is a lively city, however. The public transport network in Hanover's region is excellent. The city is an excellent base for exploring Bremen, Bremerhaven and the rest of Lower Saxony by train. The exhibition area (Mass), in which Hanover has specialised, hosts the largest fairs in the world. Nevertheless, Hanover has three main attractions: an excellent museum of contemporary art, a large set of baroque gardens, and finally a huge lake, a sinister reminder of urban planning during the Nazi era.History. Founded in 1100, Hannover later joined the Hanseatic League. Under the reform, this prosperous city was the seat of royalty and power in itself. In 1636, Hanover became the residence city of the Dukes of Calenberg, then those of the electorate princes of Hanover, from the famous Welfes dynasty. In 1714, Sophie of Hanover's eldest son, George I, ascended to the throne of England, while continuing to rule Hanover. His power thus created a privileged relationship between the Kingdom of England and this city, which continued until 1837. Hannover was annexed by Prussia in 1866. Nowadays, it therefore retains few traces of its prestigious past. It is one of the most important commercial cities in the country.