Hameln Things to Do

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The Municipal Museum is about prehistory, early historical period, domestic interiors, gold and silver, ceramics, pewterware, and Pied Piper Legend related exibitions. Further collections and exhibitions include: shipping on the river Weser, glassware made in Lauenstein, pewterware, figurines, military history, arts and crafts, pottery from Hameln, coin-making.

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The famous town of The Pied Piper legend is situated about 50 km south west of Hanover, the state capital of Lower Saxony in the North of the Federal Republic of Germany. As well as the German name Hameln, the town is also known as Hamelin and Hamlin to the English speaking world. Hameln, situated on the Weser river in the centre of the Weser Hill Country, is economically important, and a tourist attraction. This hilly region extends on both sides of the Weser river from its source, where the rivers Fulda and Werra meet, from the town of Hannoversch Muenden down to the region of Minden. The Pied Piper's town has about 60,000 inhabitants, about 1/3 of whom live in the 13 associated boroughs. Main attractions are Hamelin's historic town centre with its numerous houses built in the Weser Renaissance style, the open-air-play of the Pied Piper's legend and the musical "Rats" on the terrace of the Marriage House.

The Hameln Museum is located in two old city houses, the Leisthaus and the Stiftsherrenhaus.

On display are:
-Rat-catcher collection (biggest in the world)
-Objects from the city's history
-Coin collection
-Story of shipping on the Weser river
-Walking sticks collection
-Local jewelry
-Local military history
-Lauensteiner Glass collection
-Hameln ceramics collection.

The St. Nicolai church or Market church was constructed from 1220 till 1230 in an early Gothic style. A few decades later the building was converted into a "Hallenkirche".

In 1945 in WWII the church burned out completely and was reconstructed and opened in 1959.

Open to the public in the high season and around Christmas: Daily: Noon - 4PM.

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"Auf den spuren des Rattenfanger" or "On the rat-catcher track" is a city walk that leads you along the sights known from the legend where the children of Hamelin disappeared to on June 26, 1284.

This city tour which you can do on your own folloqing the small rats painted on the pavement brings you along:
-Bäckerstraße 46
-Bungelosenstraße
-Bürgerhus (Town House) at Kupferschmiedestraße
-Hamelner Loch of the Weser river
-Haspelmathturm/Pulverturm (the Haspelmath and Pulver Towers)
-Pferdemarkt (Horse Market)
-Redenhof
-St. Boniface Minster
-The “Rattenkrug” (Rats’ Inn)
-The Leisthaus (or Hamelin Museum)
-The Rattenfängerhaus (The Pied Piper House)
-Wilhelm Busch Haus at Fischpfortenstraße 11

The Hochzeitshaus was constructed from 1610 to 1617. The house was built with sand stones in a "Weserrenaissance" style.

In contrast with its name, this was not a house for weddings, but just for festivities by the local people.

Inside there were a big room for festivities, the city weigh-room, a court room, a wine cellar, an armour room and a Pharmacy, the latter operated by F. W. A. Sertürner, inventor of morphine. In 1864 the Pharmacy move across the street and today it's still in operation.

The house has a clock with 37 bells. The clock was completely renovated in 1964, replacing the in WWII destroyed clock.

In 2005 the building was renovated, but two years later was closed to the public, due to construction errors.

The Weser river used to be the lifeline for Hameln. As one of the Hanze cities the river was the trade connection to Bremen, 50 km to the North.

The Weser river is 452 km long.

Along the bank of the river there's footpath.

The limestone "Hochzeitshaus" was actually the last Weser renaissance style building in Hameln, finished 1617, one year before the outbreak of the 30-Year-War (1618-1648).

Each day at 13.05 Uhr, 15.35 Uhr, 17.35 Uhr carillon (Glockenspiel) with the Pied Piper`s tale.