Hanover

Hanover is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. With a population of over 535,000 people as of 2021, it is the 13th-largest city in Germany and the fourth-largest in northern Germany, after Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen. The city sits at the meeting point of the River Leine and its smaller stream, the Ihme, in the flat lands of the North German Plain.

Hanover has a rich history, having served as the capital for many different regions and states over the centuries. Notably, from 1714 to 1837, it was connected to the Hanoverian Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland through a shared ruler. Today, it is a busy transportation hub, with many train and highway routes crossing there. Hanover Airport is one of the busiest in Germany.

The city is well-known for its large event spaces and important trade shows. The Hanover Fairground is the largest in the world, hosting big events like the Hanover Fair and, until 2018, the CeBIT technology fair. Hanover also holds fun festivals, including the Schützenfest Hanover, one of the largest marksmen's festivals globally, and its own version of Oktoberfest Hanover. Important schools, such as the Hanover Medical School and Leibniz University Hanover, help make the city a center for learning and research.

Etymology

The name Hanover may come from an old German phrase meaning "on the high (river) bank." In English, people usually wrote the city's name as "Hanover," but today many use the German spelling "Hannover" with two n's. Both spellings are said with the stress on the first syllable in English, which is different from how German speakers say it. The older English spelling is still used when talking about history, like the British House of Hanover.

Main article: House of Hanover

History

See also: History of Hanover (region)

Hanover was founded in medieval times on the east bank of the Leine River. It began as a small village of ferrymen and fishermen but grew into a town in the 13th century, receiving town privileges in 1241 due to its position at a natural crossroads. Its location on the river helped it become an important trading center, connecting it to the Hanseatic League city of Bremen and serving as a gateway to several regions.

In the 14th century, major churches were built, along with a city wall. The city grew further in importance with the beginning of industrialization in Germany, especially through trade in iron and silver from the northern Harz Mountains. In 1636, a ruler moved his residence to Hanover, and later, it became part of a larger political entity that included Great Britain. This connection lasted until 1837.

During the Seven Years' War, a battle took place near Hanover in 1757. The city faced occupation but was later recaptured. In the 19th century, after conflicts involving Napoleon, Hanover became a kingdom. However, it was annexed by Prussia in 1866 following a war. The city developed its transportation systems, including horse railways and electric trams, in the late 1800s.

After World War II, Hanover became part of the new state (Land) of Lower Saxony. It formed a friendship with Bristol, England and is now involved in efforts to promote peace worldwide.

Geography

Hanover has an oceanic climate, which means its weather is influenced by air coming from the ocean. Even though it isn’t on a coast, the city experiences typical weather patterns found in coastal areas.

The city is divided into 13 boroughs and 53 quarters, making it a large and organized place to live. Some of the well-known areas include Mitte, Vahrenwald-List, Buchholz-Kleefeld, and Linden-Limmer, among others.

Politics

The current mayor of Hanover is Belit Onay of Alliance 90/The Greens, elected in 2019. The most recent mayoral election took place on 17 October 2019, with a runoff on 10 November.

The Hanover city council works together with the mayor to help govern the city. The latest city council election was held on 12 September 2021.

Main sights

There are around 5,500 buildings of major historic value within Hanover's city limits. One of Hanover's most impressive sights is the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen. Its Great Garden is an important European Baroque garden. Although the palace was damaged during wartime, it was rebuilt and reopened in 2013. The garden features Europe's tallest fountain and a special theatre for musical shows.

The Berggarten at Herrenhausen is a beautiful botanical garden with many different kinds of orchids. Visitors can see tropical plants, cacti, canaries, and butterflies. The landmark of Hanover is the New Town Hall. Inside, there are models of the city, and an elevator takes visitors to an observation deck atop a large dome.

The Hanover Zoo is highly rated and includes many themed areas like Sambesi, Gorilla-Mountain, and Yukon Bay. It also has a tropical house and a jungle house. The zoo welcomed over 1.6 million visitors in 2010. The zoo also has a Sea Life Centre, Germany's first tropical aquarium.

Hanover's Old Town includes important historic buildings such as the large Marktkirche and the Old Town Hall, which was damaged during wartime but rebuilt after the war. Nearby are interesting old houses and towers. The city also has many other notable sights including the Waterloo Column, the Gehry Tower designed by architect Frank O. Gehry, the beautiful Maschsee lake, and the large city forest Eilenriede.

The historic Leibniz Letters in the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library have been listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register since 2007.

The Hanover Fairground was the site of the EXPO 2000 fair and is now the world's largest exhibition centre. It includes many large halls, an exhibition space covering nearly 500,000 square metres, and special sights like the Hermes Tower and the EXPO Roof, the largest wooden roof in the world.

The Telemax tower in Groß-Buchholz is the tallest building in Lower Saxony and the highest television tower in northern Germany. A walking trail called the Red Thread connects 36 important sights in the city centre.

Population

Hanover has a population of about 540,000, making it the largest city in Lower Saxony and the 13th largest city in Germany. The Hanover Region, which includes cities like Langenhagen, Garbsen, and Laatzen, has around 1,160,000 people, making it the largest district in Germany. The larger Hanover metropolitan region, including cities such as Braunschweig, Hildesheim, and Göttingen, has about 3,850,000 people, ranking it as the 8th largest metropolitan area in Germany.

Hanover grew past 100,000 residents in 1875 and continued to grow, especially after becoming the capital of Lower Saxony in 1946. The city expanded quickly in the 1950s and 1960s, attracting many people from places like Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Hanover is also home to one of the largest Vietnamese communities in Germany, with the Viên Giác pagoda being the largest Vietnamese pagoda in the country. The city is known for being a comfortable place to live, thanks to its good location and size.

Society and culture

Hanover is an important city for many different religions and cultures. It is home to several Protestant organizations, such as the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the Protestant Church in Germany, and the Reformed Alliance. In 2015, about 31% of people in Hanover were Protestant and 13% were Roman Catholic. The rest of the population was either not religious or followed other religions.

Hanover has many museums and galleries that show art and history from around the world. The Historisches Museum Hanover tells the city's story from its early days to today. The Kestnergesellschaft is a big art group with many exhibitions. The Kestner-Museum shows art and history from ancient times, including special collections of coins. Other museums include the Landesmuseum Hanover, which has art, nature, and history displays, and the Sprengel Museum, known for its modern and classical art. The Wilhelm Busch Museum focuses on cartoons and funny drawings. Hanover also has many smaller museums about topics like police history, textiles, and energy.

The city has many theatres, including the Lower Saxony State Theatre and the Theater am Aegi for musicals. Hanover is also known for its music, with famous rock bands like Scorpions coming from the area. The city has orchestras, choirs, and music competitions for young musicians.

Hanover is a great place for sports. The local football team, Hanover 96, plays in a big stadium that has hosted world-famous tournaments. There are also teams for ice hockey, rugby, water sports, fencing, basketball, baseball, and American football. The city hosts many running events, like the Hanover Marathon, and cycling races. The Maschsee lake is used for dragon boat races and other water sports.

Every year, Hanover holds many big events. The Schützenfest Hannover is one of the largest fairs in the world, with parades, rides, and fun for everyone. The Hanover Oktoberfest is also very popular. Other events include festivals, fireworks shows, and markets, making Hanover a lively place to visit. The city attracts many tourists to see sights like the New Town Hall, Herrenhausen Gardens, and Hanover Zoo. The Hanover Messe trade fair is one of the biggest in the world, drawing many visitors each year.

Transport

Hanover has many ways to get around, making it easy to travel. The city's central station, Hanover Hauptbahnhof, is a big stop for fast trains on the ICE network. It is where the Hanover-Würzburg high-speed rail line starts and connects to many places in Germany and other countries through the Hanover S-Bahn.

The city is also served by Hanover Airport in Langenhagen, which has its own special codes: IATA code: HAJ and ICAO code: EDDV. Hanover is a key point in Germany’s autobahn system, where the A 2 and A 7 meet at Kreuz Hanover-Ost. Local roads like A 352 and A 37 help connect different parts of the city.

Hanover has many buses and trams, run by üstra. Some of the trams are special models like the TW 6000 and TW 2000. Riding bikes is also popular in the city centre, and you can even take your bike on a tram or bus when it’s not very busy.

Economy

Hanover is a busy city with many big companies and jobs. One of the largest employers is the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles factory, which makes vans and buses. Another important company is Continental AG, which makes tires and car parts.

The city is also home to famous companies like Sennheiser, known for making great audio equipment, and TUI AG, a big travel company. Many insurance companies have offices in Hanover, including Talanx and VHV Group. There are also many smaller businesses, with over 34,000 of them in the city alone.

Business development

Hannoverimpuls GMBH is a company started by the city and the region of Hanover in 2003. It helps new businesses begin, grow, and move into the Hanover area. It focuses on thirteen areas that help the economy grow, like Automotive, Energy Solutions, Information and Communications Technology, Life Sciences, Optical Technologies, Creative Industries, and Production Engineering.

The company has special programs to help businesses grow in Hanover or in other countries. It has centers that work with Russia, India, and Turkey to build stronger business ties. There is also a research group, the Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover, which shares scientific ideas with businesses to help improve production methods.

Education

Hanover has many places where students can learn and study. The largest university is Leibniz University Hannover, which is home to the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. Other important schools include the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover for music and theater, Hannover Medical School for medicine, and the School of Veterinary Medicine Hanover for animal care.

There are also special schools for different jobs, like metal and electrical engineering, and business. The city has gardens where students can learn about plants, both useful and ones that can be harmful.

In popular culture

In the episode called "Problem Dog" from the TV show Breaking Bad, it is mentioned that a big company named Madrigall Electromotive GmbH, which is connected to Los Pollos Hermanos, is based in Hanover.

Notable people

Hanover has been home to many famous people from different fields. Some well-known names include Hannah Arendt, a political thinker, and Erdoğan Atalay, an actor. The city also saw the birth of Hermann Bahlsen, who created popular snacks, and Emil Berliner, the inventor of the phonograph.

Other notable figures include William Herschel, an astronomer who discovered the planet Uranus, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a great thinker and mathematician. Hanover’s influence stretches into music with artists like Klaus Meine, the lead singer of the rock band Scorpions, and into sports with players such as Per Mertesacker, a well-known footballer.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Hanover is twinned with several cities around the world, showing friendship and support.

Hanover also works closely with:

• Mykolaiv, Ukraine (2022)