Hamburg – St Nicholas’s Church (Museum)

There isn’t much of St. Nicholas’s Church which is still left standing, but the crypt did survive and there is now a museum located within it. It’s not a large museum, but it tells the story of how and why the bombing of Hamburg took place, which was in reprisal for the German bombing of historic British (and other countries) cities. The museum also explains about how the previous church was lost to fire and how the replacement church was built.

The previous church had burnt down during the great fire of Hamburg of 1842, so they reused some of the copper to make commemorative coins to help raise funds for the new building.

This is an invite to the laying of the cornerstone of the new church on 24 September 1846. The church was designed by George Gilbert Scott, responsible for many Gothic churches in the UK and beyond.

Parts of the shattered altar, which destroyed both the interior and exterior of the church during the Second World War.

Items found during the demolition of the church.

Some of the interior of the museum. The ticket includes both the elevator to the top of the tower and this museum, with the staff member at the entrance desk being particularly engaging and conversational. All in all, a fascinating site.