The Alster Arcades

The Alster Arcades and the Mellin Passage, in Hamburg

The Alster Arcades and the Mellin Passage form one of the most elegant commercial ensembles of Hamburg, by the water. The Hamburg audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this oldest gallery of the town, adorned with Art Nouveau frescoes, near the Alster.

The oldest commercial gallery of the town

You are here in front of the entrance of the Mellin Passage, opened in 1864. It is the oldest commercial gallery of Hamburg, which links the commercial street of the Neuer Wall to the Alster Arcades. Raising the eyes, you admire the magnificent frescoes of Art Nouveau style painted on the ceiling: they date from the beginning of the twentieth century and have been carefully renovated, bringing a touch of elegance and poetry to this covered passage. The passage opens onto the Alster Arcades, the Alsterarkaden, a superb gallery with white arcades of Venetian neo-Renaissance style, which lines one of the canals of the town, by the basin of the Alster. These arcades, sheltering shops and cafés, offer a refined promenade sheltered from the bad weather, with a charming view over the water, the bridges and the nearby town hall. This ensemble illustrates the commercial elegance and the art of living of Hamburg. A historic gallery and a refined haven, the Alster Arcades are a fine stop of the discovery of the town.

What to see

Here you discover the Mellin Passage, opened in 1864, the oldest commercial gallery of Hamburg, whose ceiling is adorned with magnificent Art Nouveau frescoes of the beginning of the twentieth century, which opens onto the Alster Arcades, a superb gallery with white Venetian neo-Renaissance arcades lining a canal, sheltering shops and cafés with a view over the water. The Alster Arcades are a refined haven of Hamburg. It is a stop to be discovered, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Alster Arcades and the Mellin Passage lie near the town hall and the Neuer Wall, in the heart of Hamburg, reachable on foot. They are public galleries freely accessible; the shops and cafés have their own hours. You discover them during a walk in the centre.

What is the Mellin Passage in Hamburg?

The oldest commercial gallery of Hamburg, opened in 1864, which links the Neuer Wall to the Alster Arcades; its ceiling is adorned with magnificent Art Nouveau frescoes of the beginning of the twentieth century, carefully renovated.

Where are the Alster Arcades of Hamburg?

Near the town hall, in the heart of Hamburg, in Germany.