Find out more about our services!
One of Hamburg's modern landmarks is the Elbphilharmonie, completed in November 2016 – six years behind schedule. It is intended to be a “cultural monument for everyone”.
A modern structure clad in a glass façade was placed on top of the base of the former Kaispeicher A warehouse at Kaiserhöft, on the right bank of the Norderelbe. It stands out strikingly from the surrounding neo-Gothic brick architecture and the industrial character of the port.
In 2001, project developer Alexander Gérard presented his concept for the “Elbphi”, and in 2007 Hamburg's parliament approved it under Mayor Ole von Beust. The architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron was responsible for the design, which was adopted by Elbphilharmonie Bau KG, its partners and its main financial backer, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and built by the construction company Hochtief.
An 18-month halt to construction in the public areas delayed the completion of the concert hall, and when the construction costs became known, the project fell into disrepute for a long time: in the end, it cost more than eleven times the original budget – 866 million euros.
The keys to the concert hall were handed over on 31 October 2016. The concert area was inaugurated on 11 January 2017 with the concert “Zum Raum wird hier die Zeit” (“Here time becomes space”), performed by the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, followed on 12 January 2017 by Ensemble Resonanz (Recital Hall).
More than 600 concerts took place in the first year after the opening, attended by over 850,000 people.
The building has 26 storeys in total. From the ground floor up to the Plaza on the eighth floor, it is enclosed by the façade of Kaispeicher A. At its highest point it is around 110 metres tall, and at its lowest about 80 metres, which has made the wedge-shaped building the tallest inhabited building in Hamburg since its completion.
Lingovo, Schürbeker Straße 5, 22087 Hamburg
Loading the map transfers data (including your IP address) to Google. Find out more in our privacy policy.
The concert hall foyer and the hotel are reached via the Plaza, which you access by an 80-metre escalator called the “Tube” and a second escalator. From the Plaza you can walk all the way round the building and enjoy the views over the Norderelbe, HafenCity, the port and Hamburg city centre.
With its specially made red bricks, the floor of the Plaza recalls the look of the historic warehouse.
Even before it opened, the Elbphi was attracting visitors from all over the world, and in 2019 the landmark celebrated its ten millionth visitor.
The Grand Hall seats 2,100 guests and the Recital Hall 550, while Kaistudio 1 has 170 seats.
Fitting out the concert halls was particularly complex because of the special design of their walls – which, however, has drawn criticism from experts.
While the world's great orchestras perform in the Grand Hall, the Recital Hall tends to host events such as jazz concerts or banquets.
Since 4 November 2016, floors 6 to 20 of the Elbphi have been home to the four-star-plus hotel “The Westin Hamburg” with 244 rooms. The 6th floor has a spa area with saunas, a gym and a pool, and the 7th floor has a conference area and a restaurant for 170 guests.
In addition to further restaurants and bars, the concert halls used for cultural events and the music education area, the Elbphi contains 45 luxury apartments. With prices of up to 10 million euros, they are among the most expensive properties in Hamburg.
