Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony, Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, in their dignities as the dukes of Brunswick-Luneburg (which title was later called the Elector of Hannover at the end of the historical period known as Early Modern Europe).
The town of Hannover was founded sometime in the medieval period as a small rural settlement on the banks of the River Leine, where two important trade routes crossed the river. The small settlement, composed of fishermen, developed into a town under the protection of the Dukes of Roden, who had a castle built on the opposite side of the river. The Dukes of Roden later sold the burgeoning town to the Welfen.
Hannover features a temperate climate with typically mild and warm summer months, temperatures in Hannover can reach highs of more than 25°C (77°F) during July and August, averaging over 20°C (68°F) on most days. The winter climate in Hannover is much colder, with frosty nights arriving at the beginning of December and petering out towards the end of February, when springtime weather begins to make an appearance.
In business matters, Hannover is an all-rounder; the capital of Lower Saxony is an industrial location, a services centre and a market-place, and it also hosts the biggest trade fairs in the world. Thanks to the World Exposition EXPO 2000, Hannover has one of the best communications infrastructures in the world. More and more start-up businesses are exploiting this advantage and are coming up with business ideas that sharpen the profile of Hannover as a business location.
Hannover is very well served with an efficient public transportation system. This includes subways, trams, buses, taxis, trains and even boats. The Hannover subway/tram system is a combined light transportation system, which primarily operates as a subway downtown before surfacing more as a tram system outside of the city centre. It is clean, modern, efficient and comfortable, and covers virtually all of Hannover. The five-line suburban railway (S-bahn) in Hannover serves mostly commuters and local residents. DB (German Rail) does however have services to both the airport and the fairground (Exhibition Centre) from the main railway station. Hannover is also served by an extensive bus system. The bus stops are marked with a distinctive ‘H’, and can be found around the city. Taxis are plentiful in Hannover, but they are comparatively expensive. Also, Hannover is not a city where taxis can be hailed, they must be taken from taxi stands or booked by telephone.
With its diverse higher-educational landscape, Lower Saxony offers students an abundance of promising opportunities for study. Lower Saxony has universities (Universitaten), colleges of the arts (kunstlerische Hochschulen) which offer courses with a strong academic leaning, and Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen) where course syllabuses are more practically oriented. The study year is divided into two semesters: the winter and summer semesters begin in October and April respectively (September and March at the Fachhochschulen). Depending on the type of establishment and the nature of the degree, the overall study programme will take three to five years. After a two-year foundation course undergraduates can specialize in the major of their choice. There are other new, innovative study programmes as well, such as intensive fast-track courses or dual courses involving both theoretical and practical training.
A wide range of indoor and outdoor activities in with historic monuments, museums, castles and theme parks are presented in Hannover. Sprengel Museum of Modern Art is a modern gallery that was opened in 1979 and subsequently extended. In line with its modernity, the theme of the gallery is the dialogue between opening and closing, between people and the atmosphere of art.
Origins of The Old Town Hall on Schmiedestrasse date back to 1410, although the whole building took over a century to complete. It encompasses several different architectural styles. Inside the building, among the many portraits of princes, the popular medieval game of ‘Luderziehen’ is featured. This involves a version of a tug-of-war, using the little finger.
Kropcke and the Opera House is a huge pedestrianised area in the centre of Hannover. It is not only the main shopping spot, but is also packed with cafes and restaurants. A large green clock features prominently and is used as a meeting point. The popular Christmas Market, held from late November until Christmas, takes place by Central Station in Kropcke. The Opera House is also here. Operas, ballets and classical music are all performed by local performers in both German and Italian.
