High above the bustling Landungsbrücken stands the Stintfang. This 26-meter-high hill is more than just a viewpoint. It’s a living testament to Hamburg’s history. Originally called Elbhöhe it was part of the city’s fortifications built between 1623 and 1629. The Stintfang itself became Bastion Albertus. This was named after the then-mayor Albrecht van Eitzen. It was the southwesternmost bastion. The city moat connected to the Elbe River here.
The name Stintfang is intriguing. It doesn’t refer to the hill itself but to the old moat. Legend says that vast quantities of stints a small fish were caught there annually. Imagine the scale of that! Can you picture the fishermen hauling in their nets? The Stintfang’s strategic location offered a commanding view of the harbor. It was essential for defending against naval attacks.
After the French left in 1815 the walls came down. The Stintfang became a park. In 1869 the first International Garden Show in Germany took place there. The area changed again. The Kersten-Miles-Brücke and Helgoländer Allee divided it. The Bismarck-Denkmal went up in 1906. The part north became the Alter Elbpark. The southern part finally became known as Stintfang.
A private observatory stood on the Stintfang between 1802 and 1811. Johann Georg Repsold a renowned instrument maker built it. The French occupation sadly led to its demolition. They rebuilt the fortifications for a short while. A new observatory later went up near the Millerntor.
In 1845 a high-water reservoir was built. It held 2350 cubic meters of water. It kept pressure on the city’s water pipes. A fountain in the middle sprayed water 17 meters high. The water level was 27 meters above the normal Elbe level when full. It was disconnected in 1908. In 1934 part of the German Naval Observatory was built into it. The German Naval Observatory itself was built in 1881. Its instruments were in the four corner towers. It was tragically destroyed in World War II.
After the war plans for a luxury hotel were abandoned. Paula Karpinski the then youth senator fought for a youth hostel instead. It was built on the old observatory’s foundations. It opened in 1953. Karpinski also ensured its survival when a hotel expansion threatened it in the 1980s. The square in front was renamed Paula-Karpinski-Platz in 2013 honoring her.
A small vineyard existed on the Stintfang between 1995 and 2019. It was a gift from Stuttgart’s Weindorf. They gave 50 vines. More vines were added later. They produced Hamburg Stintfang Cuvée. Unfortunately theft plagued the vineyard. In 2019 the vines were removed because of U-Bahn construction. A new vineyard with new vines started in 2022.
Today the Stintfang provides a stunning view of the Hafen. It’s a perfect place to reflect on Hamburg’s rich past. From its military history to its modern youth hostel. The Stintfang is a captivating blend of history and modern life.