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HMTG / Martin Kirchner
The city’s architectural landmark is the New City Hall. Built at the beginning of the nineteenth century on more than 6,000 beechwood posts, its dome offers one of the most beautiful views of Hannover. Modern buildings like the Nord LB building and the Gehry Tower are also eye-catchers. The Leineschloss, a former castle on the banks of the Leine River, is now home to Lower Saxony’s state parliament; the Welfenschloss, also a former castle surrounded by park and green space, is the main building of Leibniz University Hannover. The Herrenhausen Gardens are a jewel of baroque and landscape architecture.
Hannover was heavily damaged by bombing during World War II. Most of the half-timbered houses in the historic old town were rebuilt once the war was over. Still, this part of the downtown area remains fascinating. Other neighbourhoods that exhibit the flair of the time they were developed – like Linden, which grew over the late 1800s – also invite visitors to explore.
