Church of Saint Peter, Hamburg

Church of Saint Peter, Hamburg tickets: which one to buy

Saint Peter's Church, the Hauptkirche Sankt Petri, stands on the Mönckebergstrasse shopping street in central Hamburg, a short walk from the Town Hall and the main station, and entry to the church is free, while climbing the tower is ticketed. It is the oldest parish church in Hamburg, and its tower has a viewing platform, reached by more than five hundred steps, that gives views over the city centre, the Alster lakes and the harbour.

The church is a peaceful stop in the busiest shopping area of the city. Walking tours of Hamburg's centre include the church along with the Town Hall, Saint Jacobi Church, the Chilehaus in the Kontorhaus district and the Speicherstadt. Organ recitals are held at midday on some days. The church is an active Lutheran parish, and visiting pauses during services. The tower entrance is inside the church, and the last climb is about half an hour before closing.

Visiting Church of Saint Peter, Hamburg: what to see

A church stood here from the eleventh century, and the present Gothic brick church was built in the fourteenth century. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Hamburg in 1842 and rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style by 1849, with its tower completed in 1878, reaching 132 metres, one of the tallest in the city. The church survived the bombing of the Second World War with less damage than many others in Hamburg. Inside, the church holds valuable art saved from the fire, including a statue of Saint Ansgar, the missionary to the north, and paintings from the fifteenth century.

The oldest artefact of the church is a bronze door knocker in the shape of a lion's head, from 1342, on the main door, which is the oldest work of art in Hamburg. The church also has a pulpit and memorials of Hamburg merchants. The church's altar area holds a painted altarpiece and a carved crucifix. Memorial slabs and epitaphs line the walls, commemorating Hamburg families. The stained glass windows date from the post-war period. The church's crypt holds the foundations of the earlier church and archaeological finds. The tower's stairs pass the bell chamber and old clockwork. The church hosts a regular programme of organ music, and its organ is one of the largest in Hamburg.

Church of Saint Peter, Hamburg opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily, with shorter hours on weekends; the tower is open most days, except during bad weather. The Mönckebergstrasse is busy with shoppers, especially on Saturdays and during the Christmas season, when markets fill the nearby squares. Hamburg's weather is often grey and rainy, but the tower's views are best on clear days. Organ music and concerts are held regularly. Allow about twenty minutes for the church and forty minutes for the tower climb, and walk to the Town Hall and the Inner Alster lake afterwards. The Chilehaus, a brick office building shaped like a ship's bow and part of a UNESCO site, is about ten minutes' walk east.