Elbphilharmonie
Ideal: Ideal for modern architecture, music, port cities, and city-view lovers.
Built by placing a glass body on a 1963 brick warehouse; it opened in January 2017, seven years late and roughly ten times over budget — a project estimated at 77 million euros cost 789 million. The main hall's 2,100 seats wrap the stage like vineyard terraces, and the walls are covered with 10,000 individually milled plaster panels calculated by acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota. The Plaza terrace at 37 metres can be visited without a concert ticket, with the entire harbour visible from there.
Quick facts
- Built
- 1963
- Opened
- 11 January 2017
- Architect
- Herzog & de Meuron
- Commissioned by
- Elbphilharmonie Bau KG
- Height
- 110 m
- Area
- 120,000 m²
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Did you know?
What is the brick building underneath?
The base is Kaispeicher A, a 1963 warehouse that stored cocoa, tea and tobacco. The glass concert hall was set on top of it, and the open terrace between them (the Plaza, 37 m up) is free to the public.
What is the strange pattern on the hall's walls for?
The so-called "white skin" is made of 10,000 individually computer-milled gypsum panels. Each one has a unique carved pattern that scatters sound, so all 2,100 seats receive a balanced acoustic.
Why was the cost of the building so controversial?
The first budget was €77 million; it finally opened in 2017 at roughly €866 million, seven years late. Even so it quickly became Hamburg's emblem, with concerts selling out months ahead.
Why go?
- To see Hamburg's most iconic modern building
- To watch harbour and city views from Plaza level
- To combine music, architecture, and HafenCity atmosphere on one route
Travel tip
Even without a concert, allow time for a Plaza visit; the view alone is worth it.
