Nowhere is the contrast between historic and modern Hamburg more evident than at the traditional ship harbor in HafenCity. The Maritime Circle Line also docks here.
Looking back: In the 19th century, the Sandtorhafen was an ultra-modern facility. Seagoing vessels could moor alongside the quay. The port workers were therefore able to unload the goods directly from the ship using the first steam cranes and load them into the sheds behind or onto rail wagons.
Sandtorhafen has been the first port of call for historic ships for a number of years – and has been renamed Traditionsschiffhafen accordingly. The Hamburg Maritime Foundation, which operates both the Traditional Ship Harbour and several historic ships, has moved a number of old sailing and steam ships to the Sandtorhafen. These include the “Schaarhörn”, a steamship built in 1908, and the pilot schooner “No. 5 Elbe” from 1884. The seaside resort ship “Seute Deern” also has its home port at Sandtorkai. Old general cargo cranes, which were set up on the Kaiserkai on the southern bank of the harbor basin, complete the maritime ensemble.
