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Beaches at the Elbe Banks – Oevelgönne and Wittenbergen

Who thinks that fine sand beaches could only be found at the sea side is wrong. Also the Elbe banks of Hamburg offer some wonderful sand beaches.

Elbe Beach in Oevelgönne

[24 Sept 2004] — Very well-known – and accordingly strongly frequented – is the beach in Oevelgönne. It is like a magnet to those who are found of sun bathing. A few sunrays are enough and the beach is swarming with people. It reminds of a tourist beach in peak season, where the solar adorers are packed like sardines. Most popular is a little spot at the “Strandperle”, a little bar which lies directly on the beach.

The small suburb Oevelgönne was originally founded as a fishing village. Later on pilots lived here signed on to escort the ships safely through the sandbanks. The one-storey pilot’s houses in the narrow lanes give a special charm to Oevelgönne.

Only a few steps away from the Strandperle, quite close to the landing place Neumühlen, the Museumshafen (“museum-harbour”) Oevelgönne is located. It was founded in 1977 by a private association called “Vereinigung zur Erhaltung historischer Wasserfahrzeuge” (union to the preservation of historical vessels).

Some old-timers of shipping were moored at the Museumshafen: German and Dutch flat bottom ships, tugboats, barges, the lightship “Elbe 3”, ocean-going cutters and a lighter, an old ferry altered to a café. Five of the ships are in possession of the association. Others belong to the Museum of Altona, the Museum for Hamburg History, the Museum of Work or are in private possession. The ships are completely manoeuvrable, which is demonstrated at the big ship parades during Hamburg’s annual port festival.

The former cold-storage house next to the Museumshafen was a striking landmark at the northern Elbe banks in former times. It formed the crossing from the agriculturally stamped suburbs to the industrial harbour scenery of Altona. The brick block is regarded as an impressive example of the style of architecture used during the expansion of the harbour in the 1920s. The 10-storied building was built in 1926 by order of a chill goods society. With its storage area of 7,000 sq metres (8,370 sq yards) it belonged to the biggest European buildings of this kind at that time. Today the building serves as a retirement home.

Elbe Beach in Wittenbergen

The vast beach area at the landing place Wittenbergen is relatively unknown (compared to Hamburg’s “sardines beach” ). In my opinion the beach is one of the most beautiful sites in Hamburg. It is a marvelous place to lie lazily in the sand while watching the passing ships, for having a picnic or to go for a beach walk.

The lighthouse “Unterfeuer Wittenbergen” peeps out from the trees and this is what makes the beach so attractive (especially at sunset).