38c3 Old Elbe Tunnel

“Down below” — the Old Elbe Tunnel

The St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel connects the St. Pauli district with the island of Steinwerder. It was built between 1907 and 1911 and was one of the first road tunnels in the world at that time. Today, it is a tourist attraction as well as an important element for mobility in the city. The appearance, the construction with cargo elevators for entire horse-drawn carriages, the neo-Gothic design—everything about this award-winning building testifies to the technological and infrastructural progress of its time. Technology enthusiasts experience the Old Elbe Tunnel as a testament to engineering art and the spirit of innovation of that era with all their senses.

The evelator building on the north side ©Andreas Schmidt-Wiethoff

The tunnel ©Andreas Schmidt-Wiethoff

So far, so familiar

On this tour, Thomas Heidborn takes you up to the cupola of the head building on the St. Pauli side and mentally back to the time when it all began. He has been the tunnel supervisor for more than 39 years and knows the details and anecdotes like the back of his hand. You will go through the tunnel, and he will draw your attention to many of the often-hidden details. In the otherwise inaccessible showroom, the small museum on the south side, you will see artifacts, historic machinery, and a large professional model of the entire facility—with moving elevators, of course. The tour concludes with an escorted view across the Elbe River toward St. Pauli, the Landungsbrücken jetties, and the city of Hamburg, which we like to call ”the most beautiful in the world.“

Details

Tours:
- Day 1 (27 December) 17:15 in German
- Day 2 (28 December) 14:15 in English
- Day 2 (28 December) 18:15 in German
- Day 3 (29 December) 17:15 in German
Duration: 1.5 hours
Language: three tours in German; one tour in English
Meeting time at Hackertours Desk: as mentioned above
Cost: € 19.00
Location: St. Pauli Elbtunnel - https://www.hamburg.de/alter-elbtunnel/, directly at Landungsbrücken (U + S Landungsbrücken)
Operator: prima events GmbH
Important: The cupola can only be reached by stairs and is not barrier-free. Participation is still possible in the other parts of the tour. The walking distance from/to the meeting point is about 1,500 m (4,921.3 ft). The tunnel and showroom are mostly accessible.