This is another of the main landmarks of Hamburg, St. Michael's church, one of the most beautiful baroque churches in northern Germany. The entire tower is clad in copper, like the roof of the Town Hall, but here the copper has only recently been replaced because the old covering had worn out. We were told our timing was fortunate, the scaffolding which ahad surrounded the tower for some time while the work was being done had just recently been removed. While the tower is pretty enough, we were told we should come back in ten years or so when it had oxidized properly and looked its proper green.

Also of personal note, this tower was the site of my greatest athletic feat on the trip. Not wanting to wait for tiny elevator that took one to the observation deck just above the clock and below the cupola, I climbed all the stairs to the top, a climb of over 82 meters! When arriving I noted there was another small spiral stair allowing you to go further up into the cupola, but I was quite exhausted by that point!

Scroll down if you would like to read some more info on St. Michael's.

St. Michael's Church Clock Tower

• The earliest beginnings of this church date back to 1600, and in 1685 this original St. Michaelis becomes one of Hamburg's five main churches.
• In 1750 this church burns down after being struck by lightning. From 1750-1762 the master builders Prey and Sonnin build the second large Michaelis church in baroque style. From 1777 to 1786 Sonnin constructs the the tower entirely from wood with its typical copper covering.
• In 1906 soldering work in the tower starts a terrible fire which destroys the church.
• 1906-1912 sees the construction of the third large Michaelis church, based on the old plans. These, however, are now executed in steel and concrete within the remaining walls.
• St. Michaelis suffers extensively in bombing raids on Hamburg from 1943-45.
• In 1952 the church is reopened. Only the baptismal font and alms box still date from 1763.
• 1983-1996 Fundamental renovation of the tower.

The crypt of this church is one of the largest in Europe. Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach (son of Johann Sebastial Bach) and the church's builder Ernst Georg Sonnin are buried here.

The tower is 132 meters tall and the viewing platform is at a height of 82 meters. The church clock, with a diameter of 8 meters, is the largest in Germany. The big hand measures 5 meters and the little hand 3.6 meters, each weighing 130 kilograms. There are 5 bells and 2 chiming bells for the clock in the tower.