The St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel connects the St. Pauli district with the island of Steinwerder. It was built between 1907 and 1911 and was one of the first road tunnels in the world at the time. Today, it is a tourist attraction for more than 1.5 million people annually, but also an important element for mobility in the city. Its appearance, its construction with freight elevators for entire horse-drawn carts, its neo-Gothic design—everything about this award-winning structure is a testament to the progress in technology and infrastructure of its time. Those interested in technology will experience the Old Elbe Tunnel as a testament to the engineering and innovative spirit of this era with all their senses.

A short lecture takes you back to the time when it all began. In the otherwise inaccessible showroom, the small museum on the south side, you can see artifacts, historical machines, and a large professional model of the entire facility—with a moving elevator, of course. Before descending into the tunnel, you can look out over the Elbe to the city that Hamburg residents like to call “the most beautiful in the world.” Underneath the Elbe, you will encounter tunnel animals and ghosts, and if you like, you can climb up to the otherwise inaccessible dome of the shaft building on the St. Pauli side at the end.

Guided tour in German only.