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If anything shapes the look and life of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg, it is surely the Alster. In the oldest surviving document, dating from the end of the 11th century, the river's name appears as Alstra. Various spellings crop up in documents over the centuries, and from the 15th century onwards the name Alster became established.
A tributary of the Elbe, the Alster flows for 56 kilometres through southern Holstein and Hamburg. In Hamburg city centre, the Alster lake, made up of the Binnenalster (Inner Alster) and the Außenalster (Outer Alster), covers a large area. The Außenalster, around 164 hectares in size and up to 4.5 metres deep, is the larger, northern part of the lake.
Since the late 19th century, the shores have been characterised by office and commercial buildings with white façades and green copper roofs.
From 1953, the Alsterpark was created around the Außenalster, and in 1953 its western section was expanded for the IGA (International Horticultural Exhibition). The almost entirely unobstructed view of the Alster attracts many tourists and visitors on various occasions throughout the year – above all for the annual fireworks display at the Japanese community's Cherry Blossom Festival. Held since 1968, it commemorates the planting of around 5,000 cherry trees donated at the time by Japanese companies based in Hamburg.
In the south, the Außenalster flows into the Binnenalster.
The Alster rises at its source in Henstedt-Rhen, in the municipality of Henstedt-Ulzburg, and meanders along, changing direction several times.
The Alsterstreek is the stretch from Ohlsdorf to the mouth of the Alster, where the river has been artificially straightened. The Fuhlsbüttel lock canalised the Alster from 1913 until it was demolished in 2011, after which it was replaced by a weir.
Lingovo, Schürbeker Straße 5, 22087 Hamburg
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By the way, the Alster lake is not natural: in 1190, Count Adolf III had the river dammed to create a mill pond so that a large grain mill could be operated. For a long time, the dam was known as the Reesedamm, after the name of a later leaseholder. Once it had been widened, it became today's famous Jungfernstieg.
Hamburg's city fortifications were built between 1616 and 1625, and from then on separated the Außenalster from the Binnenalster. The Lombardsbrücke was later built here, joined in 1953 by the Neue Lombardsbrücke, known today as the Kennedybrücke.
The footpaths and cycle paths around the Alster lake are a popular local recreation area for Hamburg residents and are well used for walks and jogging. Runners can track their progress using the half-kilometre markers along the 7.4-kilometre circuit. This attractive route also draws plenty of tourists.
Out on the water, stand-up paddleboarders share the lake with pedal boats and sailing boats – although sailing here is not that easy, as the wind direction changes frequently.
The famous Hotel Atlantic also stands on the south-eastern shore in St. Georg. With Harvestehude to the west and the streets of Bellevue (Winterhude) and Schöne Aussicht (Uhlenhorst) to the north-east, this area is home to some of Hamburg's most sought-after residential addresses.
The Kleine Alster links the Alsterfleet with the Binnenalster. This stretch of river is just 200 metres long and 40 metres wide, and its water level is held back by the Rathausschleuse (town hall lock).
Around it you will find the Alsterarkaden, the Reesendamm, the Reesendammbrücke and the Schleusenbrücke.
Because the bridges are so low, large boats cannot navigate the Kleine Alster. Some of the Alster fleet's boats are therefore built to a size that allows them to reach the Elbe and Bille via the Kleine Alster.
Tourists love coming here to feed the swans.
In very cold winters, the Alster freezes over and Hamburg invites everyone out onto the ice for the Alstereisvergnügen (Alster ice festival).
