Take advantage of this last chance—ride the Bow Elevator now! (November 6, 2013)

Last chance to enjoy a panoramic view of Hanover: Through Sunday, November 10, visitors to the New City Hall can ride the arched elevator—the only one of its kind—up to the dome of the New City Hall, which stands about 100 meters high. Due to weather conditions, the winter break will begin after that. The break is necessary for safety reasons, as the stairs on the platform can become too slippery in frost and snow. Hannover Veranstaltungs (HVG) will use the winter break to have the elevator thoroughly serviced.

This season, which began a few weeks later than usual due to the long winter, saw approximately 88,000 visitors from Hanover and around the world take the elevator up to the City Hall dome. Among the guests were Dutch, French, American, Chinese, Japanese, and Polish visitors, for example. “The ride up the tower in the arched elevator is very popular with both tourists and Hanoverians,” says Hans Christian Nolte, CEO of the HVG.

For the last time this year, visitors can ride up the nearly 98-meter-high, gilded town hall dome this week—first vertically and then at a 17-degree angle. A window in the roof of the cabin allows passengers to follow the ride’s progress up close. Another window in the floor of the cabin can be made transparent at the push of a button—so a special thrill is guaranteed. Once at the top, visitors are treated to a fantastic view of Lower Saxony’s state capital, the colorful trees along the Maschsee, and the Eilenriede forest. On a clear day, guests can even see as far as the Deister.

Bogenaufzug Opening Hours: Through November 10, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m. Note: During the winter break, the opening hours of the visitor information desk at the New City Hall will change: Starting Monday, November 11, it will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Explorers will still find plenty to enjoy at the New City Hall, however: During the “Exclusive City Hall Tour” (next dates: November 17 and December 15), participants can join an expert-led tour starting at 11 a.m. for an hour-long exploration of areas normally off-limits to visitors. With a look behind the scenes, guests can get to know the 100-year-old city hall from a new perspective—and enter rooms where decisions about the city’s future are usually made. In addition to its magnificent architecture, featuring many Neo-Renaissance details and historic murals, the New City Hall boasts a 38-meter-high city hall lobby and an impressive history. Princes and city leaders, ministers, and clergymen once came and went in this magnificent building. In 1946, the state of Lower Saxony was even proclaimed in the grand city hall. Today, city models there illustrate Hannover’s development in four phases: 1689, 1939, after the destruction of 1945, and today.

For more information on city tours and the Bogenaufzug, visit www.hannover-tourismus.de & www.hannover.de/stadttouren, stop by the Tourist Information office at Ernst-August-Platz 8, visit the information counter in the New City Hall, or call (0511) 12345-111 or (0511) 168-45333.

Tip for the pre-Christmas season: On November 29, the HMTG’s atmospheric walking tour, “Hanover – Illuminated,” begins. It takes participants on a one-and-a-half-hour walk through Hanover’s pre-Christmas city center and Old Town. The tour concludes with a cup of hot punch at the Christmas market.

Dates for “Hanover – Illuminated”: November 29, December 6, 13, and 20, 2013
, at 4:00 p.m. each day; Meeting point: Tourist Information at Ernst-August-Platz 8; Price: Adults 12.50 euros, children up to age 14/high school students/college students 9.50 euros (includes 1 glass of mulled wine or children’s punch).

Registration required at: (0511) 12345-111