Even when there aren't any exhibitions going on in Hanover, it is worth visiting Lower Saxony for all its attractions. Anyone who wants to learn about Hanover and its history should start with a tour through the city center and the old part of town. A good place to start is the Main Station, dated from 1880 with its "Stationmaster" King Ernst August. Right across from the station is the biggest pedestrian passage where the shopping center begins. There is also the Kröpcke, the most central square in Hanover and a favorite city-center meeting place, now free of cars and tramways. It is named after a business-minded headwaiter of the famous café that once stood at this square - now Mövenpick. The walk goes on to the Opera House, which was built in 1845. Originally it served as the royal theater. The new opera house is a classical style building with two large wings and a balcony with statues of famous poets and composers. Then you have Georgstraße and Georgplatz. Since the end of construction work on the underground transit system, Hanover's magnificent showpiece boulevard stretches from Steintor to Aegi, presenting itself in old splendour. On sunny days the wide sidewalks lined with cafés and some of the finest shops will make your visit to the area a great one. Whn at the Osterstraße your should stop a moment to view the ivy and vine ridden ruins of Church of Aegidien, one of Hanover's medieval churches. It is likely that as early as the 10th century a small chapel stood in this place. In the 12th century a Roman basilica, whose Western wall is still preserved to some extent, replaced this chapel. From Osterstraße you are close to Hanover's old part of town. This area was built more than a five centuries ago. The earliest part (from 1410) overlooks the Schmiedestraße (Blacksmith Street), the later wing next to the market was erected on the foundations of the 13th century trade hall. The adjacent wing in the Koebelinger Straße is called the "Chemists" Wing (Apothekenflügel), because it was the location of the Town Hall's pharmacy. You then come to the Marketplace, which was at the very center of urban expansion in Hanover. Merchants and craftsmen used to live around here. In the 14th century, the Marktkirche (the Church on the Marketplace) was built here. Together with the old Town Hall to the right they are considered to be the southernmost specimens of the "North German neo-Gothic" style. Along Kreuzstraße the way leads to the Ballhofplatz. The Ballhof, built in 1649, used to be a sports hall designed for badminton - a fashionable gam of the times. Later it was used as an assembly hall and eventually became a theater. The Ballhofplatz was only created in the 1930s when during a redevelopment process many old buildings in that area were demolished. Also nice to visit is the Leineschloß, today the Parliament building for Lower Saxony, and the Historical Museum. Very interesting, but outside the inner city are the Herrenhäuser Gardens, the Zoo, Waterlooplatz and the Maschsee. If you are only in Hanover for a short time these tour sights can also be seen in about three hours by bus (information: +49 511 36 8880). There are also pleasant tours by boat on the rivers Ihme and Leine. By boat you can see old canals and locks like the Hindenburg locks (information: +49 511 1234 5111). The other possibility is to enjoy a round trip of the lake or an illuminated evening cruise (including dinner) in one of the white Maschsee fleet ships at Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer which is opposite the Sprengel Museum (information: +49 511 70 0950).

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