Hanover

Hanover (German: Hannover) is the capital and biggest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. As of 2021, about 535,932 people live there. It is the 13th-largest city in Germany and the fourth-largest in northern Germany after Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen.

The city is where the River Leine and its smaller river, the Ihme, meet. It lies in the south of the North German Plain. Hanover is a busy place for travel, with many train lines and motorways (Autobahnen) going through it. Hanover Airport in Langenhagen is one of Germany's busiest airports.

Hanover is famous for its large fairgrounds. These were made bigger for the Expo 2000. The city holds big yearly trade fairs like the Hanover Fair and, until 2018, the CeBIT. It is also known for events such as the Schützenfest Hanover, one of the world's largest festivals, and the Oktoberfest Hanover. The city has important schools, including the Hanover Medical School and the Leibniz University Hanover.

Etymology

The name Hanover might come from a German phrase (am) hohen Ufer, meaning "on the high (river) bank." In English, we usually spell the city "Hanover," but many people now use the German spelling "Hannover," especially in places like Encyclopædia Britannica. Both spellings sound the same in English, with the stress on the first syllable. The older English spelling is still used when talking about history, such as the British House of Hanover.

History

Hanover started in medieval times on the east bank of the Leine River. It began as a small village of ferrymen and fishermen. It grew into a town in the 13th century and got town privileges in 1241 because it was at a natural crossroads. Its place on the river helped it become an important trading spot. It connected to the Hanseatic League city of Bremen and served as a gateway to several key regions.

In the 14th century, major churches were built, and the city grew with the start of industrialization in Germany. Later, in 1636, a ruler moved his home to Hanover. It became important enough that its rulers were later named monarchs of Great Britain. During the Seven Years' War, battles nearby affected the city. Later, during Napoleon’s time, Hanover faced occupation but sent soldiers to fight against France. After the Napoleonic Wars, Hanover became a kingdom but was taken over by Prussia in 1866. The city improved its transportation in the late 19th century with horse railways and electric trams.

Geography

Hanover has an oceanic climate. This means its weather is influenced by air from the ocean. Even though it is not on a coast, the city has temperatures and rain patterns typical of coastal areas.

The city is divided into 13 boroughs and 53 quarters. Some well-known areas include Mitte, the city center, and Nordstadt, Oststadt, and Zoo, home to Hanover Zoo.

Politics

The mayor of Hanover is Belit Onay from Alliance 90/The Greens. He was elected in 2019. The last mayoral election was on 17 October 2019, with a second round on 10 November.

The Hanover city council helps the mayor run the city. The most recent city council election was on 12 September 2021.

Main sights

Hanover has many important old buildings. One of the city's most famous sights is the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, which includes a large Baroque garden with Europe's tallest fountain. The New Town Hall is another landmark, featuring an observation deck reached by a unique elevator.

The Hanover Zoo is very popular and includes many different themed areas like Sambesi and Yukon Bay. The zoo welcomes over a million visitors each year. The city's Old Town contains historic churches and buildings, some of which were damaged during World War II but later rebuilt. Other notable spots include the Hanover Fairground, site of the EXPO 2000 fair, and the Telemax tower, the tallest in Lower Saxony.

Population

Hanover has about 540,000 people. It is the largest city in Lower Saxony and the 13th largest city in Germany. The Hanover Region, with cities like Langenhagen, Garbsen, and Laatzen, has about 1,160,000 people. The Hanover metropolitan region, including cities such as Braunschweig, Hildesheim, and Göttingen, has around 3,850,000 people. This makes it the 8th largest metropolitan area in Germany.

Hanover became the capital of Lower Saxony in 1946. The city grew fast in the 1950s and 1960s. Many people from countries like Turkey, Greece, and Italy moved there. The city is also known for having one of the largest Vietnamese communities in former West Germany.

Society and culture

Hanover is an important place for Protestant organizations, such as the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the Protestant Church in Germany.

Hanover has many museums and galleries. The Historisches Museum Hanover shows the city's history. The Kestnergesellschaft and Kestner-Museum have art from older styles to newer ones. The Landesmuseum Hanover is the biggest museum with art, nature, and world cultures. Other museums include the Sprengel Museum for modern art and the Wilhelm Busch Museum for drawings and jokes. Hanover also has theatres like the Lower Saxony State Theatre and the Theater am Aegi for musicals.

Classical music is important in Hanover, with two symphony orchestras. Popular music groups such as Scorpions are from Hanover. The city’s main football team is Hanover 96. Hanover also has teams in ice hockey, rugby, water sports, fencing, basketball, baseball, and American football. The Hanover Marathon is a big running event. The city also has cycling races and dragon boat competitions.

Hanover is well-known for its exhibitions and festivals. It holds over 60 big exhibitions each year, such as CeBIT and the Hanover Fair. The Schützenfest Hannover is a large fun fair with a big parade. Other events include the Hanover Oktoberfest, the Maschsee Festival, and a fireworks competition. Tourists visit sights like the New Town Hall, Herrenhausen Gardens, and Hanover Zoo. The Hannover Messe trade fair is also very popular.

Transport

Hanover has many ways to get around, making it easy to travel. The city's main train station, Hanover Hauptbahnhof, connects to fast trains all over Germany and beyond through the ICE network and the Hanover-Würzburg high-speed rail line. It is also the center for the local train system called the Hanover S-Bahn.

The city is served by Hanover Airport, located in Langenhagen, for air travel. Hanover is also a key point on Germany’s autobahn network, where the A 2 and A 7 highways meet. Local highways like A 352 and A 37 help connect different parts of the city. There are also special roads called expressways and many Bundesstraße roads that work together like a big ring around the city.

Hanover has a big system of trams and buses called Stadtbahn, run by üstra. Some of the trams are models like the TW 6000 and TW 2000. Bicycles are popular in the city center, and you can even bring your bike on trams and buses when it’s not busy.

Economy

Hanover has many important companies. The biggest employer is the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles factory. Other big companies include Continental AG, started in 1871, and audio equipment maker Sennheiser. The city also has many insurance companies and the global reinsurance company Hannover Re.

In 2012, Hanover’s economy made €29.5 billion. About 300,000 people worked in the city in 2014, with many coming from nearby areas. The city had over 34,000 businesses, and more than half of them were small businesses in Germany.

Business development

Hannoverimpuls GMBH is a company started by the city and the region of Hanover. It helps new businesses grow and move to the area. It began in 2003 and supports thirteen key sectors for strong growth. These sectors include Automotive, Energy Solutions, Information and Communications Technology, Life Sciences, Optical Technologies, Creative Industries, and Production Engineering.

The company offers programs to help businesses grow in Hanover and internationally. It also has special centers to build economic ties with Russia, India, and Turkey. The Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover shares scientific knowledge from Leibniz University Hanover with businesses in production technology.

Education

Hanover is a place where students from around the world come to learn. The largest university is Leibniz University Hannover. It is also home to the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics.

Other important schools include the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover for music and theater, the Hannover Medical School for medicine, and the School of Veterinary Medicine Hanover for animal care.

There are also special schools for jobs such as metal and electrical engineering, and business. Students can learn about plants and animals at places like the Schulbiologiezentrum Hannover.

In popular culture

In an episode called "Problem Dog" from the TV show Breaking Bad, it is said that Madrigall Electromotive GmbH, the parent company of Los Pollos Hermanos, is located in Hanover.

Notable people

Hanover has been home to many famous people. Some well-known people from Hanover include Hannah Arendt, an important American thinker, and Erdoğan Atalay, a popular actor. The city was also the birthplace of Hermann Bahlsen, who made popular snacks like Leibniz-Keks, and Wilhelm Busch, a famous cartoonist and poet.

Other famous people are Emil Berliner, who invented the phonograph, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a great philosopher and mathematician. More recent people from Hanover include Lena Meyer-Landrut, who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010, and Gerhard Schröder, who was Chancellor of Germany.

Sport

Hanover has produced many good athletes. Footballers such as Niclas Füllkrug and Per Mertesacker have played for their countries. Other sports stars from Hanover include Stina Johannes, a goalkeeper for the Germany women's national football team, and Andreas Toba, an artistic gymnast.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Hanover has several twin towns and sister cities around the world. It is twinned with Blantyre in Malawi since 1968, Bristol in England since 1947, Hiroshima in Japan since 1983, Leipzig in Germany since 1987, Perpignan in France since 1960, Poznań in Poland since 1979, and Rouen in France since 1966.

Hanover also works with Mykolaiv in Ukraine, starting in 2022. These partnerships help cities learn from each other and work together on shared goals.