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»Deutsche Version • Home • Travelogues • Germany • Hamburg • Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg
Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg – Model Train and Miniature Exhibition
- Miniatur Wunderland [www.miniatur-wunderland.com]
Tue 9:30 – 21:00 hrs
Fri 9:30 – 19:00 hrs
Sat 8:00 – 21:00 hrs
Sun, Public Holidays 8:30 – 20:00 hrs
(as of March 2008)
In July 2000, the brothers Frederik und Gerrit Braun had the idea to build the largest model railroad of the world. After they had found a suitable surface – a complete storey in a former warehouse in »Speicherstadt with at least 2,400 sq metres (2,870 sq yd) – they got down planning this huge project. Minatur Wunderland was called into being.
[6 Jan 2010] — Today, more than nine years later, a considerable part of the model has been finished. The total area of the layout comes to 1,150 sq metres (1,375 sq yd) with a rail length of approx. 12 km (7 mi). It is
steered completely digitally.
 "Control Centre"){kind=small}
More than 800 trains with a total of 11,000 wagons and 180 cars make their rounds. Many details have been set up in spade work. Thus, for instance, 215,000 trees, 200,000 figures and 3,400 houses have been stuck to the model. 300,000 luminescent diodes light up houses, lanterns and cars (head and rear lights). You can look at the layout for hours and will discover a new, amusing detail over and over again (like the “bridge pee-er”, the landing of the Alians,
 "Landing of the alians"){kind=small}
lovers on a flower meadow or the recovery of a drowned corpse).
 "Recovery of a drowned corpse"){kind=small}
Particularly exciting are the operations of the fire brigade. Suddenly smoke climbs up from a house or a vehicle.
 "Operations of the fire brigade"){kind=small}
Immediately the fire brigade turns out
 "The fire brigade turns out"){kind=small}
to extinguish the fire. Fantastic!
And to make it perfect, the course of a day (dusk – night – dawn) is simulated every 15 minutes. As to prevent your visit from getting dreary (be ensured it won’t) buttons have been installed at different places of the layout which trigger special effects. Thus in the HSV Arena
 "Soccer Game at the AOL Arena"){kind=small}
the spectators, watching the soccer game between HSV vs. St. Pauli, start cheering whenever the button is pressed.
Of course the current model has not been created at once but has been built up gradually. The first section – Middle and Southern Germany – was finished in August 2001. The section “Coast and Hamburg”
 "Hamburg - St. Pauli Landungsbrücken"){kind=small}
followed in November 2002. The tract “America”
 "Las Vegas"){kind=small}
can be visited since December 2003. Really fascinating is the part “Skandinavia”,
 "Scandinavia"){kind=small}
completed in June 2005. Its climax is a 30,000 litre (7,900 gallon) water basin, in which model ships navigate.
 "Model ships in the water basin"){kind=small}
In November 2007, the Switzerland section, which covers two storeys, was opened.
 "Construction of the Switzerland section"){kind=small}
And the layout grows up steadily as the team of constructors has many more ideas for new sections up their sleeves.
This layout is nothing to be copied at your home’s loft unless you are flush. To quote a figure: the construction of the model has swallowed up € 10 million up to now.
The exhibition is open daily (during 365 days in the year). Be aware that the exhibition is highly frequented at the week-ends. To avoid a never-ending queueing time at these days, better check out the prediction of the presumed wating time at the exhibition’s website.
To sum it up: Miniatur Wunderland is a fantastic exhibition. I have been there four times (and will go again for sure). 
