St Nikolai Memorial
St Nikolai Memorial
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
St. Nikolai Memorial is Hamburg’s most important memorial dealing with the war and its dictatorship during 1933-1945. The original main church was destroyed in the air raids on Hamburg in 1943. In the church ruins a museum reminds us of the disastrous air war over Europe. It questions the impact of war in former as well as in present times and deals with aspects of the memories of the victims of World War II. A glass elevator takes visitors up the fifth highest church tower in the world. A viewing platform at 76 metres overlooks the harbour, the Alster lakes and Hamburg’s city centre. Historical photos of past destruction add up to the impressions. Our program offers discussions in current events, supports research on German history and promotes international peace movements/ peace and understanding of nations.
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Hamburg-Altstadt
How to get there
- Rödingsmarkt • 4 min walk
- Rathaus • 6 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
3,048 within 3 miles
Attractions
369 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- WandererHolbeach, United Kingdom396 contributionsGood views of the cityGood but small museum which was easy to cover in around 30 minutes. Elevator ride to the top offered some good views albeit on a rainy day! Remaining architecture and outside area nice to visitVisited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 7, 2023
- MattyTheHattMiddlewich, United Kingdom439 contributionsA great historical sight and museum in HamburgWhat a great historical sight & museum in the middle of Hamburg. So glad we made sure we visited. The lift up the spire gave us a great view of this lovely city. Cold but well worth it. The museum was underground and packed with the history of the church and mostly the 2nd WW and how the people of Hamburg suffered so much by the bombing by the allied forces.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 8, 2024
- JAH_1969Chester, United Kingdom10 contributionsSt Nikolai Memorial€6 entry to an important at piece of WW2 history. Fee includes trip up the church spire. If you enjoy WW2 history then worth a visit to the info museum, only for the patient and literate, if you do not like reading about your history and expect a more interactive dumbed down experience then best skip this one. However if you like to read and immerse yourself in the facts and stats then worth a visit. Focus is on the RAF and American forces bombing in Operation Gomorrah of July 1943 and the proceeding firestorm.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 27, 2024
- Mazdak MoraghebiRatingen, Germany156 contributionsStunning historical structureSt. Nicholy Church in Hamburg is one of the largest churches in the city and has a very beautiful and historical architecture. This church has tall towers that reach about 150 meters in length. Its building is built in the Gothic style and has a beautiful structure and unique artistic designs that belong to the Renaissance and Baroque periods. With several bells which it's resonance is melodies.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 15, 2024
- Petmark28 contributionsA memory that I'll carry with me foreverIn my opinion, it's one of the "musts" in Hamburg. It really sent shiwers down my spine seeing a monument that was almost as great as the dome of Milano bombed to ashes. It really sets an example of what war can do to hundreds of years of history... The museum is well composed and is good at delevering the message of this place. The ticket prices are low too and you can see almost all of the city from the tower, which is accessable via elevator.Visited July 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten July 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,020 reviews
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351
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19
Terrible
14
AlterSchwede13
Boblingen, Germany1,678 contributions
Jun 2020
you may or may not like the memorial. Yes, it is a preserved ruin, from whose remains one can clearly see the horrors of the war days. So you see what war does every day. With the tower and the elevator, it's all a round trip. But for the view it is not worth going up. The interior of the ruin can be viewed free of charge.
Written July 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Petmark
28 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
In my opinion, it's one of the "musts" in Hamburg. It really sent shiwers down my spine seeing a monument that was almost as great as the dome of Milano bombed to ashes. It really sets an example of what war can do to hundreds of years of history... The museum is well composed and is good at delevering the message of this place. The ticket prices are low too and you can see almost all of the city from the tower, which is accessable via elevator.
Written July 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pat M
Glasgow, UK156 contributions
May 2023
It's not a hidden gem but tucked away in the business district. We took the elevator up to the top. The views are fantastic. It was also about 25c when we visited so being up so high when viewing the city also allowed for a welcome breeze. Would recommend.
Written May 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cltboy
Basingstoke, UK769 contributions
Nov 2022
Forget the the lift and th view of Hamburg (which isn't great as a lot of buiding and wire fence get in the way - this is a memormorial and museum. The latter was are a real surpise and is built inder the church. It shows you teh history of the site and include a very moving and well balanced story of the experience of Hamburg during the war - some of this can be a tough read/view.
Well worth the 5 euro entry fee - although you get 1 euro discount if youhave a hamburg card
Well worth the 5 euro entry fee - although you get 1 euro discount if youhave a hamburg card
Written January 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew B
Reading, UK31 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
There are many church towers in Germany that are worth paying to ascend, but this is not one of them (though the lift ride is fun). This is primarily because the viewing platform is very small and blighted with iron railings and bars which obscure your view - cameras must be poked through these railings to get any decent photographs. However, the museum, centering on the devastating bombing raids of Hamburg in the summer of 1943 and the earlier raids on Warsaw and Coventry is both fascinating and incredibly moving.
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mazdak Moraghebi
Ratingen, Germany156 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
St. Nicholy Church in Hamburg is one of the largest churches in the city and has a very beautiful and historical architecture. This church has tall towers that reach about 150 meters in length. Its building is built in the Gothic style and has a beautiful structure and unique artistic designs that belong to the Renaissance and Baroque periods. With several bells which it's resonance is melodies.
Written May 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JAH_1969
Chester, UK10 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
€6 entry to an important at piece of WW2 history. Fee includes trip up the church spire. If you enjoy WW2 history then worth a visit to the info museum, only for the patient and literate, if you do not like reading about your history and expect a more interactive dumbed down experience then best skip this one. However if you like to read and immerse yourself in the facts and stats then worth a visit. Focus is on the RAF and American forces bombing in Operation Gomorrah of July 1943 and the proceeding firestorm.
Written March 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MattyTheHatt
Middlewich, UK439 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
What a great historical sight & museum in the middle of Hamburg. So glad we made sure we visited. The lift up the spire gave us a great view of this lovely city. Cold but well worth it. The museum was underground and packed with the history of the church and mostly the 2nd WW and how the people of Hamburg suffered so much by the bombing by the allied forces.
Written March 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TomFarhias
Kongsberg, Norway513 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
This is an historic place which is a great example of what war does to all of us. The church was destroyed in the Second World War by allies airplane bombings and the site was kept like it is to remind all war victims. You don’t need more than 15-20 minutes to walk around the site and read all the information around but is is a must see for its historic meaning. There is a lift to the top of the tower but I didn’t go up. Truly recommended.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Antonio C
Schaerbeek, Belgium63 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Wonderful destroyed cathedral. It’s nice to take the elevator and watch the view. Up there, you can read the history of the cathedral.
With the ticket, you have access to the museum against war (and the cathedral), under the church.
Museum is in English too, not too long, really well explained.
I reaaaaally liked this place
With the ticket, you have access to the museum against war (and the cathedral), under the church.
Museum is in English too, not too long, really well explained.
I reaaaaally liked this place
Written August 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi - would this be suitable for me to visit with my 9-year old son? Thank you.
Written April 10, 2018
Depends on your sons interesses! The church itself is an outbombed ruin, with few remains, there is a great view from the top of the tower, and in the old crypt, there is an exhibition, with the story of ww 2. Maybe you could find something about the St. Nicolai on the internet, to show your son before visiting, to see if he is interessed.
Written April 11, 2018
Hi - would this be suitable for me to visit with my 9-year old son? Thank you.
Written April 10, 2018
I'm sure your son will enjoy the trip to the top and spectacular views over the city. The museum highlights the war years and the terrible bombing the city endured. I found it interesting if only to highlight the futility of war and it's effects on the innocent.
Written April 11, 2018
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