- Hamburg Square will serve as a testament to Hamburg's beginnings
The urban hub of Hamburg now boasts a Hammaburg Plaza. Previously, this central green space was informally referred to as Domplatz. This fresh moniker honors the birthplace of the Hanseatic city, dating back to the 8th century, as revealed by Landesarchaeologist Rainer-Maria Weiss. Back in those days, a tiny settlement with a fortress emerged on a water-surrounded peninsula where the Alster river meets the Elbe. This ancient fortress was a subject of debate until around a decade ago, when concrete evidence confirmed its existence at this very location. Culture Senator Carsten Brosda (SPD) celebrated the naming event by stating, "This is where Hamburg originated."
The Hammaburg served as protection for Bishop Ansgar, who constructed a modest wooden church for Christian missionary work among the Vikings and Slavs in 834, as Weiss explained. However, the settlement met its demise at the hands of the Vikings in 845. Hamburg eventually regained its footing in a different location by the beginning of the 11th century. The construction of a medieval cathedral took place on the site of the Hammaburg, which was razed at the onset of the 19th century. Weiss confidently asserts that these new titles won't erase the cathedral from our collective memory. Domstraße and an official Domplatz still exist, as well as a new Mariendom standing proudly in the St. Georg district, which was constructed at the close of the 19th century.
"Ghostly location"
As Weiss put it, "I believe Hamburg is the only European city whose origins weren't built on what the city itself gave birth to." For a millennium, the Hammaburg was something of a ghostly location. Finally, over a thousand years after its fall, Hammaburg has received its original name back at its historic heart in the heart of Hamburg.
The Hammaburg, the ancient fortress that once stood at the confluence of the Alster river and the Elbe, was located in a ghostly location for over a thousand years. Now, the historic heart of Hamburg proudly bears the name Hammaburg Plaza, honoring the city's origins.
