A piece of the St. Michaelis Church in the Hotel Hafen Hamburg
Hamburg, 16 June 2023
A visit to Hamburg without seeing Hamburg's most famous sightseeing? Unthinkable! If you travel to Hamburg, you can't get around St. Michealis. The impressive main church of St. Michaelis, also known as the "Michel" is an architectural masterpiece and attracts many visitors from all over the world every year, embodying the history and pride of the city. At 132 metres high, it is one of the city's most famous landmarks and offers breathtaking views of the harbour, the Elbe River and the entire surrounding area. The church was built in the 17th century in Baroque style and has survived wars, fires and even bombings over the centuries.
![A picture of the small pointer of the tower clock of St. Michael's Church from the period 1911 - 1980.]( "Small hands of the Michaeliskirche tower clock (1911 - 1980) | Copyright Hotel Hafen Hamburg")
But why are we telling you this at all? Well, in 1996, a remarkable event happened that brought a piece of the Michel to the Hotel Hafen Hamburg, thus illustrating the connection between the main church of St. Michaelis and the Hotel Hafen Hamburg in a special way. The small pointer of the Michel's tower clock, which normally floated above the Hamburg sky and showed the time, was taken down in 1974 and sold in an auction for charity. Our founder Willi Bartels, who had a passion for art and culture, especially that of his beloved hometown Hamburg, acquired the jewel during the third Michel Market for 6500 DM and since then it has been attached to the hotel entrance on the Seewartenstraße side as an eye-catcher on the outer façade.
The Michel is a place that reflects the history and spirit of Hamburg. The Hotel Hafen Hamburg, which exists since 1979, also has a rich history and has become an important part of the city's maritime heritage. So the pointer symbolises the connection between Hamburg's traditional past and the modern development of our city. The main church of St. Michaelis is a symbol of Hamburg's cultural wealth and historical significance, while the Hotel Hafen Hamburg represents the city's dynamism and progress. A bridge was built between past and present, between faith and hospitality.
To this day, we are proud to have a piece of Hamburg's history hanging on our wall!
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