Green
and lovely Hanover (German: Hannover) was founded in the early
Middle Ages on the bank of the river Leine. The town’s original name
“Honovere” can be translated as "high bank". Originally built as a
small village of ferrymen and fishermen, Hanover became a
comparatively large town in the 13th century.
After
Hanover had become duchy in 1636 it “shared” its kings with the
British Empire; three kings of Great Britain (after 1800, kings of
the United Kingdom) were at the same time Electoral Princes of
Hanover. Over the centuries Hanover stayed royal residence, expanded
to the western bank of the Leine and grew considerably until World
War II. After the war the city became the capital of the new German
Federal State of Lower Saxony and today has a population of about
500,000.
Hanover has become famous for hosting commercial expositions such as
the CeBIT and the Hanover Fair. In the year 2000 the World EXPO took
place here. Due to numerous extensions especially for this event the
Hanover fairground presently is the largest one in the world.
What to See
Beside
the hustle and bustle of the fairs and numerous events Hanover is
the perfect place to rest from everyday’s trouble. Acres of
Baroque-style gardens, countless leafy parks, beautiful lake Masch
and Europe’s largest city forest invite you to relax. Probably the
most beautiful amongst these locations is “Herrenhäuser Gärten”, a
unique baroque park with landscape gardens in the most various
styles.
Hanover’s changeful history and its great art and culture offer
sights and flair for any age or taste. The city is literally packed
with places of interest, ranging from the Old and the New Town Hall
to an amazing number of castles and churches on such a small
surface.
If you
like adventure the extraordinary arranged Hanover Zoo will take you
on an exciting animal safari round the world.
Take
your time to explore the city and its sights – it will be worth your
while!
