Mahnmal St. Nikolai

At the ruins of the former main church of St. Nikolai, you can immerse yourself in Hamburg's history. During the heavy air raids on Hamburg in the summer of 1943, St. Nikolai was largely destroyed. Today, the ruins are a place of remembrance for the victims of the Second World War.

The St. Nikolai memorial with museum and observation tower is dedicated to the causes and consequences of the air war in the Second World War. During the bombing raids of “Operation Gomorrah” in the summer of 1943, more than 34,000 people lost their lives and entire districts in the east of Hamburg were completely destroyed.

Observation tower

During the air raids on Hamburg, the city's highest church tower served as an orientation point for Allied bomber pilots.  Today, a glass panoramic lift takes visitors to a viewing platform 76 meters above the ground. From there, an impressive view opens up over the city center with the Alster lake and the harbor with the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Photographs from 1943 contrast today's view with views of the city destroyed by the bombing raids.

Permanent exhibition in the crypt

The permanent exhibition in the vaulted cellar first presents the eventful history of St. Nikolai Church from its medieval origins to today's memorial. The main part of the exhibition provides information about the causes and consequences of the air war and the destruction of Hamburg during the Second World War. Photos, documents, film clips and testimonies paint a multifaceted picture of life in Hamburg during the war. Finally, Hamburg's culture of remembrance of the destruction caused by the bombing raids and the more than 34,000 victims is presented.

Carillon - tower carillon

A tower carillon with 51 chromatically tuned bells was installed in the tower of the ruins in 1993. It plays small melodies automatically every day at fixed times and is played live on special occasions and every Thursday at 12 noon. The carillon can be heard on the site of the former nave.

Events

The St. Nikolai Memorial organizes a varied programme of events including lectures, special exhibitions, readings, concerts and films. Numerous Hamburg institutions are among the memorial's cooperation partners. The focus is on dealing with the historical events of National Socialism and the Second World War as well as looking at today's conflicts and focal points of social coexistence. The memorial organizes commemorative events on important memorial days such as 27 January and 9 November.