Bremen, a Surprising Brothers Grimm’s Fairy-Tale

Located on the line of the longest river flowing through Germany, the Weser, Bremen is the capital of a two-city state called the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.

The city of Bremen, officially known as the City Municipality of Bremen, is the largest city on the banks of the River Weser and the fourth largest city in the low German dialect area.

With the second-largest port in Germany after Hamburg and the 12th busiest airport in the country, Bremen is a cultural and economic hub. This working-class city is famous for housing dozens of historical galleries, museums, and many multinational companies and manufacturing centres.

Have you ever heard of “Town Musicians of Bremen”, a Brothers Grimm fairy tale? Well, you’ve guessed it right. Most people know the city of Bremen through that famous fairy tale; there’s even a statue in front of the city hall dedicated to it.

With moderate oceanic weather, a mild summer and cool winter are what you’d expect in this city.

July and August constitute the peak tourist season. Since rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, the May – June and September—October seasons are also great for a visit. The home of the most delicious chocolate brand, Hachez, welcomes you in whichever season you choose.

In this article, we’ll learn how to get to this exciting city, what places to visit, and the various festivities you can attend to soak up its unique atmosphere.

How to get to Bremen?

1. By flight:

The airport of Bremen – Flughafen Bremen – is about 3.5 Kilometers south of the city and handles flights to various European countries. There are flights from and to the town through many renowned airlines, at which you can get great prices if you book in advance.

Ryanair, for example, operates flights to London and Mallorca in Spain, and KLM, the Royal Dutch Airlines, operates to and from Amsterdam. Other seasonal flights are via Turkish Airlines from Istanbul or Sundair from Beirut.

A roundtrip flight from London Stansted Airport to Bremen Airport, booked a month in advance, will cost about 75 Euros. The flight is less than an hour and a half either way. It’s worth noting that the day you book your flight, travelling out or returning, dramatically affects the price.

There is no direct flight from Berlin to Bremen, only a transit flight that goes through Stuttgart first. It’s also wise to understand that flying into Bremen is most suitable if time is of the essence and you’d like to get there faster.

2. By train:

Bremen S-Bahn, the city’s central railway station, has operated since 1847. A train ticket from Berlin Central Station to Bremen Central Station, booked about a week in advance, will cost about 42 Euros. The website Bahn.de will help you with not only ticket prices but also all other important travel information.

If you come from across the English Channel, the price of a train ticket will start at 166 Euros. The train will get you there in less than 8 hours.

3. By bus:

The cheapest alternative to flying from Berlin is the bus ticket. At 16 Euros, the bus will take you to Bremen in a bit over 5 and a half hours. This is not a recommended means of transportation if you’re coming from a farther place such as London.

On the other hand, a night bus from Brussels will take you to Bremen in 6 and a half hours for a ticket of 24 Euros. A good website for booking bus tickets is Getbybus.

Historical Landmarks in Bremen

Now that I have you in Bremen, welcome! The city has many historical sites. I promise you this won’t be overwhelming and that your visit will be as enjoyable as you want it to be. So, let’s get to it!

1. Petri Dom zu Bremen (Saint Peter’s Cathedral of Bremen or Bremen Cathedral):

This medieval-style cathedral is located in the heart of Bremen, east of the Marktplatz. The earliest church traced in the same location goes back to 789 when it was a timber church on a high point. This church, along with most of Bremen, was burnt down when the Saxons came.

The construction of a new church began in 805 using sandstone after the site had been empty for 13 years. However, all rebuilding and renovation efforts went to waste when a huge fire devoured the church and its library, along with most of Bremen, in 1041.

The cathedral’s new construction began in 1042 in a Romanesque style. Archbishop Adalbert, who was responsible for the renovation, commissioned craftsmen from Lombardy, Italy, to embellish the cathedral, which he drew inspiration from Italian basilicas.

The easy destruction of the cathedral by the Saxons, again, in 1064, was due to Adalbert’s short-sightedness.

Restoration works began after but were interrupted several times. The direction of architecture, though, drifted from Romanesque to Gothic until 1911.

The Gothic style of the basilica was emphasized more by adding a new northern nave and more chapels, which gave the church a more German “High Gothic” look.

In two unfortunate accidents, the southern belfry collapsed in 1638, causing damage to the surrounding buildings and killing 8 people. In 1660, lightning struck the northern tower and burned the roof.

The southern roof suffered a second collapse, remaining an open ruin for over two centuries.

The church’s renovation began in the 1880s, with medieval inspiration. The walls were repainted in a neo-Byzantine style, and the church finally reopened in 1901.

Again, the church suffered damage during the Second World War. For fear of the entire building collapsing, all windows and roofs were closed soon after. By 1950, the vaults were reconstructed, and the building stabilized again.

The next restoration works took place between 1972 and 1981, during which many of the neo-Byzantine paintings disappeared, but many stained glass windows were made. Since 1973, it has been protected by the Monument Protection Act.

2. Katharinen-Kloster (Saint Cathrine’s Monastery):

The once-brick Gothic building was built in 1253 by the Dominicans. During its lifetime, the church served many purposes. Once a grammar school, a library, an arsenal, a historical museum and a storehouse.

The monastery was demolished in 1960 after suffering damage during the Second World War. Traces of the building can be seen now in the Katharinenstraße and Katharinenklosterhof in the old town.

3. Kirche Unser Lieben Frauen (Church of Our Lady):

Listed under the Monument Protection Act, this is the oldest church in Bremen. Although the current building dates back to the 13th century, the church itself dates back to the 11th century.

The church was originally dedicated to Saint Vitus. It served as the city’s market church and later as the church of the city council.

In 1020, a new building decorated with medieval frescos was built. In the middle of the 12th century, the church was extended to form a basilica.

The church was consecrated to the Virgin Mary around 1220, after which it was rebuilt in the early Gothic style as a hall church starting from 1230.

4. Martinikirche (Saint Martin’s Church):

One of the oldest churches in the city, it is located in the old town near the Weser River. The church was founded in 1229 in the late Gothic style. However, the building sustained damages during the Second World War and was rebuilt in 1960. The church was listed under the Monument Protection Act in 1973.

5. Bremen City Hall (Bremer Rathaus):

As one of the most important examples of Brick Gothic and Weser Renaissance architecture, the city hall earned both the protection of the Monument Protection Act in 1973 and the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

The historic city centre’s city hall is on the northeastern side of the market square. It is the seat of the President of the Senate and the Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.

The building underwent many style changes, presumably having a Romanesque style at the beginning. It once served as a law court. It was also hired to the grocers’ guild, once a hob store, and later sold to two owners who converted it into their own residences.

A new town hall was built around 1400, this time in the Gothic style, and it was decorated with 16 large sculptures of emperors, prince-electors, and four ancient philosophers.

During the Renaissance period, the town hall was developed again by converting the ten windows of the upper hall from pointed arches to large rectangular windows. About 12 years later, the two middling windows and the proclamation door between them were replaced by slim pillars, columns, and large windows.

In the 19th century, the archbishop’s house beside the town hall was taken down and rebuilt as the neo-classical Stadthaus (Municipal Office Building). In the 20th century, though, the Stadthaus was dismantled to build the new town hall.

From 1909 to 1913, the town hall was extended twice as big as the old one. Despite the severe damage the city of Bremen suffered during the Second World War, the town hall sustained little damage.

The main sights in the Old Town Hall are the Upper Hall, the Golden Chamber, the Lower Hall, and the Bremer Ratskeller. In the New Town Hall, there’s the Banquet Hall, the Fireplace Room, the Gobelin Room, and the Senate Hall.

6. Bremen Roland:

The statue, which faces the cathedral, was built in 1404 as part of the Bremen Town Hall. It is of Roland, paladin of the First Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. With his drawn sword, he protects the city, and his shield is emblazoned with the two-headed Imperial eagle.

Legend says that the city of Bremen shall remain free for as long as Roland protects it, which is why a second statue is alleged to be hidden in the town hall’s underground vaults—just to be safe!

7. Bremer Marktplatz (Bremen Market Square):

One of the oldest squares in the city, it’s no longer used as a marketplace except for the Christmas Market and the annual Freimarkt Fair at the end of October.

There used to be a stone wall between the square’s inner and outer areas. Later, at the end of the 18th century or the beginning of the 19th century, the wall was replaced by a circle of columns.

The funniest thing regarding the square when it still acted as a market was that the city council allowed only merchants with cars that could pass through one of the seven openings in the wall to enter the market to sell their goods.

This rule ensured there was enough room for pedestrians between the market stalls.

8. Town Musicians of Bremen:

This popular German fairy tale, based on the account of the German storyteller Dorothea Viehmann, was told by the Brothers Grimm in 1819. It tells of four ageing domestic animals: a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster.

After a lifetime of hard work, the animals were neglected and mistreated by their former masters. The animals then decide to run away to Bremen and become musicians.

Even though the name of the statue and the fairy tale element suggest that the animals made it to the city and fulfilled their dream.

They never actually made it to the city. Instead, they trick and scare off a band of robbers, who end up taking their belongings and moving into their house. The tale has been retold through animated pictures, motion pictures (often musicals), theatre plays, and operas.

9. The Schütting:

Located on the Marktplatz, this building initially served as the guild house for the city’s merchants and tradesmen. The building has been under monument protection since 1973.

An interesting fact for coffee lovers: the first coffee house in German-speaking countries was established in Bremen in 1673. Although its exact location is unknown, it’s been located at the Schütting since 1679. In the basement of The Schütting are the rooms of “Club zu Bremen,” a traditional gentleman’s club. The club has been open for female members since 2000.

10. Rathscafé (Town Council Café):

This listed building in the Marktplatz is now named Deutsches Haus. Both the building on the site and the site itself were used for several purposes throughout history. The Rathscafé was supposedly built between 1909 and 1911, but it was destroyed during the Second World War.

The building was sold after World War II, rebuilt, and given its current name, Deutsches Haus. It received monument protection in 1973.

11. Raths-Apotheke (Council Apothecary):

This building on the Marktplatz came under the Monument Act in 1973. There’s been a Raths-Apotheke in Bremen since 1510. From 1594 to 1820, the apothecary was located in two beautiful three-story gabled buildings that stood at the current location of the apothecary.

The new apothecary building was completed in 1894, after much public debate, to maintain the appearance of the endeared Marktplatz. After suffering some damage during the Second World War, the building’s restoration was only finished in 1958.

12. Haus der Stadtsparkasse:

This Rococo building was completed in the 1950s and was listed under the Monument Act in 1973. The building was once used as an Inn in 1836. Today, the building houses a branch office of the Sparkasse, a municipal savings bank.

13. The Stadtwaage:

Once the home of the municipal weighing scales, it was created to levy taxes and excise duties while protecting both merchants and customers from fraud and dishonesty. Historical documents mention a weigh house going back to 1330.

Today, the building is a cultural centre. It contains rooms for presentations, exhibitions, and receptions.

14. Böttcherstraße:

This street, in the historic centre of Bremen, is famous for its unusual architecture. Most of its buildings were erected between 1922 and 1931. A coffee trader, Ludwig Roselis, commissioned local artists to transform the street using a mixture of Gothic and Art Nouveau.

The Böttcherstraße was an important link between the market square and river Weser in the Middle Ages and was traditionally inhabited by coopers. When the harbour was relocated in the mid-19th century, the Böttcherstraße began to lose its importance.

In 1902, Ludwig Roselis, it was said, bought the house at 6 Böttcherstraße and made it the headquarters of his company, which would later produce the HAG coffee brand.

In the following years, he bought several buildings around the place, and many other houses were constructed using the typical materials at that time: brick and sandstone.

In 1926, contrary to the appearance of most of the buildings on the street, Roselis built the Paula Modersohn-Becker-Haus, a museum dedicated to the painter Paula Modersohn-Becker. The building’s external walls have relief-like decorations, while its internal rooms follow principles of organic architecture.

Large portions of the Böttcherstraße were destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War. By 1954, though, the Kaffee HAG Company had restored most of the façades to their original state.

In 1979, Ludwig Roselius Jr. sold the Kaffee HAG Company and Böttcherstraße to General Foods. Two years later, he repurchased Böttcherstraße.

Since then, it has been privately owned. In 1989, significant damage to the building fabric became visible, and the Sparkasse Bremen bank bought the entire street and all its buildings except for Haus Atlantis.

Restoration works were completed in 1999. Böttcherstraße GmbH, of the Stiftung Bremer Sparer Dank foundation, manages the street today.

Today, Böttcherstraße is one of Bremen’s major tourist attractions. It contains several art museums, arts and crafts workshops, restaurants, shops, and a hotel. The entire street has been protected by the Monument Protection Act since 1973.

15. Glockenspiel House:

This distinguished building is home to 30 bells of Meissen porcelain. The carillon chimes thrice daily while wooden panels depicting pioneering seafarers and aviators appear on a rotating mechanism inside the tower.

The bells chime for about 8 minutes and a half. The Glockenspiel is located on the famous Böttcherstraße, it’s considered one of the most critical landmarks on that street.

Two old warehouses were on the site of the building, which was converted into a new office building for the Bremen America Bank in 1922. The façades were built in Neo-Renaissance style, and the carillon of 30 Meissner porcelain bells lodged between the gables was added in 1934, maintaining a medieval tradition.

At first, the bells were painted blue on the outside and gold on the inside. When the carillon chimed, 10 coloured wooden panels appeared as they rotated inside the tower.

After the building suffered serious fire damage during the Second World War, the carillon was replaced with white porcelain bells. The panels were restored in 1991, and the carillon also received a new set of white bells.

In 1937, the National Socialist Party listed Böttcherstraße for cultural heritage protection as an example of degenerate art.

16. Schnoor:

It is the only part of Bremen’s medieval centre that has kept its medieval character. The neighbourhood’s name comes from old handicrafts related to shipping, and the alleys are named accordingly.

The Schnoor was one of the poorer corners and developed in the 10th century as a fishermen’s district. During its first centuries, the neighbourhood was prone to floods since the inhabitants built their homes as cottages on the little island between the Weser and Balge rivers.

The first ferry service was established there, and the first bridge crossing the Weser was built around 1240. The oldest houses in the neighbourhood go back to the 15th century, while most buildings are from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The neighbourhood became one of the poorest during the 19th century, which made renovations unaffordable for the residents. By the mid-1950s, the houses were in a rough state.

In 1959, the Senate of the Free Hanseatic Town of Bremen decided to rebuild the historic area of Schnoor. Residents were motivated by financial support from the State of Bremen to renovate their houses.

After the 1964 Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites was issued, Schnoor obtained historic district status under official heritage conservation through the State Monument Authority.

17. Schifferhaus (Shipper’s House in Bremen):

This house was preserved in its original state in the Schnoor neighbourhood and registered as a historical monument in 1973 along with the rest of the neighbourhood.

It’s been a private museum for the past 25 years of the 20th century. The house was built in 1630 and extended in 1750 and around 1920.

The original truss is well preserved, and it’s alleged that some of the beams are 400 years old. The house has been used for many purposes throughout history. It was used as an inn with a restaurant on the ground floor and accommodation on the upper floors.

Once an office for business supplies, groceries, and food products, Theodor Dahle turned it into a private museum on the ground floor and expanded it to the upper floors in 1975.

Dahle converted the ground floor into a reproduction of a historic restaurant. The museum was preserved mainly until 2005. The upper rooms were unchanged since Theodor’s wife died.

Once the internet shop opened, the owner set up a virtual museum to show the house’s history. Public visits to the museum take place on European Heritage Days and other events.

18. Landherrnamt:

This historic building in the landmark Schnoor neighbourhood was designed in the Neo-Romanesque style and finished in 1856. It was created by Bremen’s planning director, Alexander Schröder, who also planned several other buildings in the city in the Neoclassicism and Romanesque Revival architecture styles.

The building has had many uses over time, including housing the offices of the Landherrn, who has administered the State of Bremen since 1850.

It accommodated the police and administrative services until the end of the Second World War, when it was used as a welfare centre for the severely injured.

In 1964, the Catholic Church took over the building as a nunnery but later used it to hold classes at the St. Johannis School. Major repairs were carried out in 2011 to improve conditions for the schoolchildren.

Renovation works were carried out on the 150 years old façade where the former pink colour was removed to show the actual colour of the sandstone.

19. Birgittenkloster (Convent of Saint Birgitta):

Founded in 2002, this convent is the first established in Bremen since the Reformation. The idea was initially born in 1998 at the Deanery Pastoral Conference, and it was built in the Schnoor neighbourhood of the city on the site of a former bakery.

There’s a chapel and living quarters, and there’s a guest house with 12 rooms. Seven nuns in the house take care of the guests and prepare their meals. The convent welcomes both individuals and groups who want to escape from the hustle of everyday life.

20. Johann (St. John’s Church):

This Roman Catholic Church was built in the 14th century in Schnoor and was listed as a historic monument in 1973. A church with a basilica was built in 1225 and later expanded in 1380.

During the Reformation, the church was closed in 1528, and Bremen’s first hospital and mental asylum was built on the site in 1538 with the monks’ approval.

The church continued to serve as Bremen’s hospital until the middle of the 17th century, except that, at the time, it became a retirement home. In 1802, only the choir was used in religious services. The Catholic community-acquired and rebuilt the church in 1806.

In 1834, using the rubble from the monastery’s destruction for hygiene reasons, the streets around the church were raised by two meters to avoid floods. The floor level of the church was raised afterwards by three meters, which created a large cellar, which now became the crypt.

St. John is the only surviving monastery church in Bremen. Only Catherine’s Passage in the city centre testifies to the existence of the earlier Dominican monastery and its church of St. Kathrine. St. Paul’s monastery in front of the city gates was destroyed in 1546.

21. Bismarck monument:

This bronze figure built in 1904 outside the cathedral in Bremen shows the former Chancellor Otto von Bismarck riding a horse. Bismarck was celebrated as the iron chancellor, above all because of the integral part he played in creating the German State.

Even though Bismarck’s relationship with Bremen’s political establishment wasn’t always smooth, he was still revered both in Bremen and in many parts of the new established state that were not part of Prussia.

The significance of this monument to Bismarck is that it’s the only one in the form of an equestrian statue. The chancellor sits on a horse at the top of a six-meter-tall stone plinth, wearing a helmet, a slightly stylised version of the uniform of the Cuirassier regiment.

The horse’s head is half turned towards the cathedral square, suggesting liveliness. The chancellor holds a scroll in his right hand, which is interpreted as a constitutional document.

22. Essighaus:

This impressive gabled house was almost destroyed by bombing in 1943. It’s considered one of Bremen’s finest examples of Renaissance architecture.

The house was built in the ornate Renaissance style in 1618. Its richly decorated façade and interior earned it a reputation far beyond the city’s borders. The building combined living quarters, an office, and a shop, typical of Bremen’s old merchants’ houses.

Essighaus was the location of a fainting spell by Sigmund Freud in 1909. His student Carl Jung saw this incident as evidence of the psychoanalyst’s neurosis.

The house suffered damage during the Second World War, and it was rebuilt, but only the lower façade was restored from the remains.

Since 1985, the building has belonged to Deutsche Factoring Bank, and a plaque on it tells its history and the history of the grander Kornhaus, which once stood next door before being razed by the war.

The Essighaus has been a heritage monument since 1973.

23. The Schlachte:

Once one of Bremen’s harbors, this promenade along the east bank of the Weser is now known for its restaurants, beer gardens, and river boats. The Schlachte and the Balge were used as harbours for wood and limestone.

The Schlachte was Bremen’s main harbour until the beginning of the 19th century. The railway arrived in 1860, resulting in major changes to Bremen’s harbours, especially after Bremerhaven was connected to the rail network in 1862.

After that, The Schlachte no longer served as a port for the city. At the end of the 20th century, the area underwent a complete transformation.

Offices and storerooms that were abandoned for decades were renovated. The Schlachte was extended upstream and downstream to create a modern promenade connected to paths leading into the old town.

Today, Schlachte is a place where you can have great food from restaurants on land or in docked ships. There are also hotel ships and a youth hostel, and during the summer months, there are many festivals, including a regatta, flea markets, and a barbecue festival.

24. Viertel:

The name literally means “quarter.” This neighbourhood, located east of the old town of Bremen, is packed with cafés, restaurants, and boutique shops. It was initially developed between the mid-19th century and the 1930s.

In the mid-20th century, the buildings were in a rough state and were almost abandoned until 1973, when the façades were restored.

The neighbourhood became one of Bremen’s most lively and presentable neighbourhoods. New Buildings were built in the same style and colour to match the old buildings.

After lounging at the cafés in the neighbourhood and grabbing a bite, you must visit the boutique shops, which offer everything you can imagine.

The Viertel is home to many landmarks, including the city’s main theatre, Theater am Goetheplatz, the art museum, Kunsthalle Bremen and the Gerhard Marcks House museum.

Museums and Parks in Bremen

Bremen might be rich in architectural buildings of all styles and eras, but the city also presents you with various museums and parks that will satisfy both the art lover you are and the child inside you.

1. Universum Bremen (Universum Sceince Center):

Opened in September 2000, this science museum encourages visitors to interact with more than 250 exhibits. The exhibitions are divided into the topics of mankind, earth, and the cosmos.

The unique building resembles a mixture between a whale and a mussel. In 2007, the Universum opened a new building in the shape of a cube called the SchauBox, which was used for additional exhibitions, which change annually.

A parking zone, EntdeckerPark, was also created, which hosts several hands-on exhibits and landscape elements.

2. Kunsthalle Bremen:

This art museum in the Viertel neighbourhood was built in 1849 and has been listed as a historical monument since 1977. The building was expanded in 1902, and the façade was still under construction until 1904.

When the Second World War broke out, the collections from the museum were moved to different places to ensure their safety.

The paintings, drawings and graphic sheets were divided between Karnzow Castle of Count Königsmarck near Kyritz, Neumühle Castle of Count von der Schulenburg in Salzwedel, and Schwöbber Castle near Hameln.

The sculptures were taken to the princely crypt at Bückeburg Castle. Karnzow Castle held 50 paintings, 1,715 drawings, and about 3,000 prints from the collection.

When the Soviets took the castle on their way home, it was destroyed, leaving the vault room open, making these priceless treasures within everyone’s reach. It was estimated that over 1,500 works from the Kunsthalle are still missing today.

It was not until 1961 that the museum underwent a complete restoration and was entirely open for art exhibitions. This was followed by an extension in 1982 and renovation works between 1990 and 1999. The most recent renovations were between 2009 and 2011.

The museum houses a collection of European paintings from the 14th century to the present day, sculptures from the 16th to the 21st centuries and a New Media collection.

3. Gerhard Marcks Haus (Gerhard Marcks House):

This museum, located in the Viertel neighbourhood, is inspired by the works of the sculptor and graphic artist Gerhard Marcks. The Gerhard Marcks Museum and Wilhelm Wagenfeld House were built in 1825.

The two buildings on either side of the road were built as gatehouses and prisons. Until 1848, both houses were used to close the city at night and charge any customs tax that was due on goods.

In 1991, the buildings were expanded to fit their new roles as museums. The two buildings have one row of windows at the front, two floors, and matching Doric columns.

The Gerhard Marcks Museum shows contemporary sculptures beside the works of Marcks. Of his works, the museum holds 400 sculptures, over 1,200 prints, and 12,000 drawings. The museum has both regular and temporary exhibitions of famous and aspiring artists.

4. Wilhelm-Wagenfeld-Haus (Wilhelm Wagenfeld House):

This design museum and art exhibition is in the Viertel neighbourhood, opposite Gerhard Marcks Haus. It was built in 1828 with a Neoclassical style, the building currently carries the name of the Bremen born Wilhelm Wagenfeld.

He was an influential industrial designer and a significant contributor to the 20th-century design of household objects.

Bremer Design GmbH, in collaboration with the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Foundation, uses the exhibition centre to promote the creative industries crucial to Bremen’s development.

The cooperation allows participants to benefit from international successes while proudly displaying the major results of local enterprises.

5. Wilhelm Holtorf Kolonialwaren:

Another listed building in the Viertel neighborhood is this old grocer’s shop, which has been there since 1874. The deli is considered to be Germany’s last grocery store.

In 1903, the building was replaced by a new one with four floors instead of two; it’s the one still standing today. The historic art nouveau shop furnishings in oak from 1910 have been preserved until today.

The Schwiering family continued the work after Holtorf—who bequeathed the building to them—followed by the Bremen agricultural engineer Marcus Wewer until the Oldenburg Company Heimathaven took over the building in 2017 and renamed it Holtorfs Heimathaven. Nowadays, delicacies from selected manufacturers are sold.

6. Übersee Museum Bremen (Overseas Museum):

Protected by the Monument Protection Act, this is a natural history and ethnographic museum. It’s an integrated exhibition of Nature, Culture and Trading for overseas regions. Permanent exhibitions represent Asia, The Americas, Africa and South Pacific/ Oceania. In 1875, the Bremen Natural History Society collections became the property of the city of Bremen.

7. Focke Museum:

Formed in 1924 through a merger between the Museum of Industry and Commerce and the previous Historical Museum, this is the Museum of History and the History of Art of the City of Bremen.

The current museum is named after Johann Focke, who founded the historical museum. The combined institution of the two museums first opened in 1927 and closed in 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War.

Even though the collection survived the war and was placed in storage, the building didn’t, and the rebuild was necessary.

In 1953, the museum reopened in the 18th-century Haus Riensberg, and in 1959, the foundation for a new building was laid, which opened in 1964. This main building is considered one of Bremen’s most outstanding 20th-century buildings.

The museum complex currently includes three other historic buildings, an extension built in 2002 and a park used for exhibits and events.

The museum also offers special exhibitions on topics related to the history of Bremen, crafts and design, photography, and other arts. It also holds tours and lectures for different age groups.

8. Weserburg:

is a modern art museum that opened in 1991. It is located in an old factory building that was almost completely destroyed in the Second World War. It was Europe’s first collectors’ museum.

It holds no permanent collection but holds changing exhibitions of private collections. It’s also one of the largest modern art museum spaces in Germany.

9. Ludwig Roselius Museum:

Located at Böttcherstraße, this museum showcases Northern European art from the Middle Ages to the Baroque. The building is a townhouse from the 16th century, built in 1588 in the Renaissance style.

Ludwig Roselius opened the museum in 1928 after he bought the building where he displayed his private art collection. During the Second World War, the museum, except for the façade, was destroyed.

The museum reopened after a restoration in 1954. After Ludwig Roselius passed away, not all his works continued to be displayed at the museum; some went into private ownership.

The Ludwig Roselis Museum and the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum make the Böttcherstraße Museums.

10. Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum:

Ludwig Roselius, who built this museum in 1927, is credited with its construction. It’s the first museum in the world to be dedicated to the works of a female painter and showcases works from all the creative phases of Paula Modersohn-Becker’s life.

The museum suffered significant damage during the Second World War but was restored and expanded in 1994. It shows works from all the artist’s creative periods, starting with the first pictures from her time in Worpswede.

11. The Bürgerpark and the Stadtwald:

The second-largest green space in Hanseatic city is the most famous park in Bremen. The Bürgerpark was created in the second half of the 19th century as a classic public garden with lakes, coffee houses, and lawns.

The building of the forest to the north was finally approved in 1906. Together, the two parks are among the largest city parks in Germany. They are fully developed and crisscrossed by a dense network of paths and include five large lakes.

The park offers several recreational activities, such as an animal enclosure, boat rentals, natural trails, running trails, mini-golf parks, and bouless courts.

Various sculptures, memorials, busts, and monuments, some over 130 years old, are also located in different parts of both parks, along with several listed buildings in the coordinated natural ensemble.

One of the most beautiful features of the park and forest is the artistically designed benches; almost all of them are based on private donations.

12. Knoops Park:

Located in the Burglesum district of Bremen, it is named after the Bremen merchant Ludwig Knoops, who originally commissioned the park to be set around his castle, the Mühlenthal Castle.

The castle was demolished in 1933, and in 1936, the space became the property of the municipality, which converted it into a public park.

Along with several other parks, Knoops Park was listed in the state’s monuments list and is owned by the Bremen Landscape Protection Area. An English oak tree in the park is said to be over 250 years old.

13. The Rhododendron-Park Bremen:

This free public park in the State of Bremen houses a huge collection of rhododendrons and azaleas and a substantial botanical garden. While admission to the park is free, entering the Botanika isn’t.

The Rhododendron Park began in 1933 on the initiative of the German Rhododendron Society on former farmland and forest; it finally opened to the public in 1937.

On the other hand, the botanical garden dates back to 1905 when businessman Franz Schütte created it at a different site. The original garden was organized geographically, with plants from the Orient, Mexico, and Caucasus, as well as a collection of crop plants, medicinal herbs, native plants, and poisonous plants.

The garden was privately owned until 1935, when it became city property and transferred to its current location in Rhododendron Park over the next few years. Today’s garden was completed between 1949 and 1950.

Opened in 2003, the Botanika facility is Germany’s largest nature centre. In 2007, the park’s ownership was transferred to a nonprofit foundation.

14. Botanika:

Bremen’s Great World of Discovery is a nature experience centre that opened in 2003 in the Rhododendron Park of Bremen. The facility shows a wide variety of tropical and subtropical rhododendrons and their accompanying flora in natural greenhouses.

Being an interactive discovery centre, it also provides in-depth knowledge of the importance of biological diversity.

The facility is open all year and is suitable for adults and children about five years old. It is mainly barrier-free. Regular special exhibitions take place at the Botanika, such as the annual “Botanika Goes to Space” and the Easter exhibition in the spring.

Events in Bremen

Are you hungry for more after visiting this rich city’s history? How about you discover which of the city’s leading events and festivities occur during your stay there?

The most important events held in Bremen every year are the Freimarkt (Free market), the Bremer 6 Tage Rennen bicycle race and musical events for young musicians worldwide.

1. Freimarkt (Last two weeks of October):

Literally meaning Free Fair, it is one of the oldest fairs in Germany, having been first held in 1035. The fair is also considered the biggest fair in Northern Germany, attracting more than four million visitors every year. It lasts for 17 days, somewhat extended from Friday to Sunday.

2. The Bremer 6 Tage Rennen (The 2023 event is from 12th to 17th January):

This event is a 6-day bicycle race held annually in Bremen. It was first held in 1910 as a one-off event and became a regular event in 1965. The race is held at the ÖVB Arena.

3. International Youth Symphony Orchestra of Bremen:

Every year, Bremen hosts young musicians worldwide to rehearse extensively for 10 days in the International Youth Symphony Orchestra. The young musicians stay at host families’ houses, as do those of friends of the JSO.

Bremer Cuisine

Don’t rush out the city just yet, you haven’t tried these signature dishes of the town of Bremen yet. Only then are you free to go if you feel you can escape the charm of this northern German city?

1. Kohl and Pinkel (Kale and sausage):

Probably the most renowned Bremen specialty is a generous dish of kale (braunkohl) accompanied by smoked pork (kasseler), belly pork (bauchspeck), and sausage (pinkel). The dish usually appears on menus in the cold winter months to warm visitors’ souls.

2. Labskaus (Meat Stew):

Like elsewhere in the north of Germany, Labskaus is also enjoyed in Bremen. A local variant includes roll mops (pickled herrings), gherkins, and a fried egg. The dish doesn’t necessarily look very delicious on a plate, but I promise you the taste makes up for it.

3. Fried Smelt (Small silvery sea fish):

Between January and March, smelt swam up the river Weser so you can scoop the fish. Perhaps for that reason, friend smelt was always considered as a poor man’s dish. It is a sought-after speciality traditionally coated in rye flour and fried today. You can find it in different restaurants in the spring.

4. Knipp (Sausage with groats and meat):

The Bremen Knipp is a sausage made with groats and meat, similar to Pinkel. It is usually made of oats, stock, and a mixture of pork and beef. It is fried until crisp and traditionally served with fried potatoes or bread, sour pickled gherkins, and apple sauce.

5. Kükenragout (Poussin Stew):

A poussin is a young chicken weighing between 200 and 600 grams, resembling a classic chicken fricassee. It can also include asparagus, peas, carrots, and mushrooms. However, a traditional Kükenragout can also include crayfish tails, shrimp, or ox tongues. Veal meatballs, black salsify, leeks, and onions are used in several variants of the dish.

6. Pluckte Finken (and hackte Musen):

This one-pot dish dates back to the days of whaling. At sea, it was made from root vegetables and whale blubber chopped up into small cubes. White beans, strips of smoked bacon, potatoes, apples, and pears then went into the pot. Nowadays, the fat has been replaced by tender beef or salted meat. However, at present, this dish rarely appears on local menus.

7. North Sea Shrimps:

Bremerhaven is happily known as “Fish Town,” while its citizens are proudly called “Fish Heads.” The nicknames are inspired by the city’s fishing industry. North Sea shrimp, known as Granite, are a delicacy.

The shrimp must be pulled before being eaten; the head and rear must be removed. You can enjoy them as they are, on a slice of bread or add them to soups and salads.

8. Bremer Babbeler Candy:

The Bremer Babbeler is a long sugar stick flavoured with peppermint. The Babbeler’s origins go back to 1886 when Albert Friedrich Bruns created the first one in his factory. It’s assumed that the name “Babbeler” comes from the fact that having a sugar stick in your mouth will stop your “Babbel”, as they say in the local low German dialect. The Bremer Babbeler is still exclusively made in Bremen and can be found in pharmacies, whole-food shops, and tea shops.

9. Klaben:

Bremer Klaben is a rich winter fruit cake similar to stollen, but with more fruit, which makes it moister. After baking, the cake is either buttered or sprinkled with extra sugar.

10. Bremer Kaffeebrot:

Literally meaning Coffee Bread, this traditional delicacy is an essential part of what Bremen locals call Kaffeesieren, the art of enjoying coffee with friends. In essence, Bremer Kafeebrot is sliced white bread coated with melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon before being toasted. Custom dictates that you dunk your kaffeebrot in your coffee before eating it.

11. Bremen Kluten Peppermints:

The most popular souvenir of Bremen is a small bag of Bremen Kluten peppermints. They are about the size of two cubes of sugar and half coated in dark chocolate. Enjoyed by locals and visitors since the 19th century, they can be found today at bakeries and confectioners in the city.

Come to Bremen; history and delicacy await you!