At Kirchenpauerkai, the Baakenhafen quarter faces the Elbe river. Along the historic quay wall, the view wanders over the water to the Freihafenelbbrücke and across to Grasbrook. Boats glide through the water, downstream you can see the silhouette of the port facilities against the light. The smell of the big, wide world is in the air. In front of the red brick wall, which protects the quarter from flooding, a tree-lined green meadow topography stretches as if shaped by the wind. Embedded in these are places for playing and doing sports. Square-like expansions with spacious stairs and ramps divide the promenade into the quarter, historic harbor cranes are a reminder of the maritime heritage.

Photos: © Leonard Grosch