Hamelin Old Town
Hameln Altstadt
The setting of the Grimms' fairy tale "The Pied Piper". Its Weser Renaissance architecture and the open-air Pied Piper play on summer Sundays are the highlights.
Hamelin lies on the Weser River about 45 km southwest of Hanover. It is famous for the legend of 1284, when 130 children disappeared, which inspired the tale of "The Pied Piper." The old town is a showcase of Weser Renaissance architecture. The Rattenfängerhaus (Rat Catcher's House) has ornate façade carvings, and legend says the children walked down the "Street Without Music," where music is still forbidden. The Hochzeitshaus (Wedding House) has a mechanical carillon on its façade, and at 13:05, 15:35 and 17:35 every day, figures re-enact the Pied Piper story. From mid-May to mid-September, a free open-air Pied Piper play lasting about 30 minutes is performed on the terrace in front of the Wedding House every Sunday at noon, and there is a musical on Wednesdays. White rat markings on the streets guide visitors, and souvenir shops sell rat-shaped bread. From Hanover, take the S5 S-Bahn, about 45 minutes.
Opening hours
Old town open all day
Nearby sights
- Steinhuder Meer & Wilhelmstein
- Marienburg Castle
- Herrenhausen Gardens
- Wilhelm Busch Museum
- Nanas at Leibnizufer
- Maschsee
- Museum August Kestner
- Sprengel Museum