A waterfront reshaped by trade and containers
Hamburg developed around the waterways linking the city to the Elbe. Its waterfront landmarks include the St. Pauli landing stages, whose construction began in 1840, and the nearby Elbe Tunnel, opened in 1911. These remain reminders of the movement of passengers and workers through the harbour.
The Second World War devastated the port: the port organisation records that 80 percent of its facilities were destroyed. Reconstruction restored the harbour as an important part of the city’s economy. A later turning point came on 31 May 1968, when American Lancer, a fully cellular container ship, arrived at Burchardkai.
Container handling transformed the working waterfront, while older port land acquired new uses. From 2003, HafenCity began taking shape between Kehrwiederspitze and the Elbe bridges. The two camera views offer different perspectives: historic ships at Sandtorhafen and the wider working port.