exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
You are here: worth seeing in Schwachhausen district
Bürgerpark (2/2)
Part of the Melchers Bridge
Most of the numerous stone bridges spanning the waterways in the park date back to around 1900. One of the oldest is the Melchers Bridge, donated by the overseas merchant Carl Melchers, which has been prominently situated halfway between the dairy and the parking lot (now Parkhotel) over one of the canals since 1883. Incidentally, you can row through the entire park on the canals using wooden rowboats that are available for rent at Emmasee opposite the Emmacafé from April to October. For a complete round trip, you should plan for 1½ hours. We have compiled tips for other water activities here for you.
View of the Emmacafé through a bridge railing of the Aselmeyer Bridges at the boat rental, financed in 1906/7 from the bequest of a lady
If you don’t want to row yourself, you can also book a boat tour with the "Marie" between May and October. From 1908 until the Second World War, two excursion boats already operated on the park’s canals. One hundred years later, the newly built "Marie," measuring 12.52 meters in length and powered by an electric engine, embarks on its one-and-a-half-hour round trip, though only in dry weather, as the up to 30 guests sit outdoors.
These feathered friends are often seen in Bürgerpark: a grey heron
A highlight is the small zoo in the heart of the park. In the 19th century, enclosures with exotic animals for visitors' entertainment were common in public parks. In the past, the animal enclosure in Bürgerpark even featured animals from distant lands such as kangaroos, zebras, and a dromedary.
Bentheimer pigs have offspring
For several years now, the zoo has primarily showcased animal and bird species native to the region, such as red and fallow deer, mountain goats, sheep, Bentheimer pigs, and occasionally the peacock’s call echoes through the forest. A touch of remaining exoticism is provided by guinea pigs and zebus.
Miniature donkeys in Bürgerpark
Within sight of the boat rental, there is also a mini-golf course with 18 holes, and behind the next row of trees lies a large playground that attracts parents and children not only from the surrounding neighborhoods.
At the Marcus Fountain within view of the Parkhotel, numerous benches are often occupied on sunny days
An adjacent residential area is the Findorff district, separated from the park by the Torfkanal. From the large playground, past the Marcus Fountain erected in 1869, the path leads to the Torfhafen, the canal’s endpoint. The site lay fallow for a long time, but it has been used again in recent years—for dining and as a harbor. In its heyday, peat from Niedersachsen’s Teufelsmoor was unloaded here. The era when peat served as fuel is, of course, long past, but the wooden peat barges now sail again, this time with passengers all the way to Worpswede. The route passes by Bürgerpark, followed by the adjacent Stadtwald and Stadtwaldsee (Uni-See), through Blockland.
Pleasant atmosphere on a sunny day: Torfhafen with peat barges and dining
One more tip for September: On one of the Sundays of the month, the Bremen-Mitte Youth Symphony Orchestra performs at Hollersee in front of the Parkhotel. For years, thousands of spectators have attended this free open-air event, "Light and Music at Hollersee," featuring classical music, torchlight, and a musically accompanied fireworks display on the lake as the highlight.
Rehearsals begin in the afternoon
By the way: You can also cycle through Bürgerpark, though not on all paths. A quick glance at the signage can prevent conflicts with pedestrians and park administration staff. The park administration aims to ensure that Bürgerpark remains a place of peaceful coexistence for all visitors, young and old, big and small. Well done! Those who take liberties beyond reasonable limits restrict others' freedom. Such behavior suggests either a lack of understanding or an ego-driven disregard for others.
The signpost doesn’t point away but shows the way and it leads cyclists through Bürgerpark, a great alternative to the busy Parkallee
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Map
Stadtwald & Stadtwaldsee (urban forest & lake)
Stadtwald & Stadtwaldsee. The design of the Bürgerpark is attributed to Wilhelm Benque, who served as its director from 1866–1870 and again from 1877–1884. Carl Orth succeeded him in this role, and under his plans, construction of the Stadtwald began in 1907. The 66.5-hectare site north of the railway tracks had been donated to the Bürgerpark Association by the Bremen merchant Franz E. Schütte one year earlier.
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Anti-Colonial Monument "Elephant"
The brick monument was commissioned by the German Colonial Society and inaugurated on July 6, 1932. However, even in this traditionally cosmopolitan Hanseatic city, the monument was controversial, it commemorated not only those who died in Germany's former colonies during World War I but also stood as a symbol of the oppression and exploitation of indigenous populations there. After restoration work and its redesignation in 1989, the Elephant now serves as an anti-colonial monument representing equality and justice, as well as a warning against racism, oppression, and exploitation.
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Water-based activities in Bremen
Given that Bremen is a city on a major river with numerous lakes, it makes sense to extend sports or other personal water-related activities from land to water. The most family-friendly activity on the wet element is certainly taking a rowboat ride along the canals of Bürgerpark.
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Camping in Bremen
1971/72 as a byproduct of construction work on the nearby A27 highway. Although the lake officially borders the extensive Stadtwald (city forest) on the opposite shore from the campsite and is thus called Stadtwaldsee, many residents of Bremen refer to it as the "Uni-See" due to its proximity to the university, which began operations in 1971.
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Cycling to Vegesack
The journey begins at Bremen's central station, passing through Bürgerweide near the distinctive Stadthalle (City Hall), Congress Center, and exhibition halls, then continuing through Findorff along the Torfkanal (Peat Canal). This canal, which runs along the edge of the Bürgerpark (Citizens' Park) and Stadtwald (city forest), was constructed between 1817 and 1826 to transport peat from the Teufelsmoor (Devil's Moor) near Worpswede to Bremen using peat barges. Today, you can book excursion trips on the characteristic black wooden boats.
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Schwachhausen district
Built in 1913 at the central station, the Lloyd Railway Station served as a waiting area for emigrants who departed Europe from Bremerhaven aboard ships of the North German Lloyd. From here, their journey initially continued by train. After merging with the shipping company HAPAG, the company became HAPAG-Lloyd, headquartered in Hamburg. Directly across the street stands the anti-colonial monument "Elephant."
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Cycling in Bremen & Surroundings
Bremen is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in Europe. This is due, on the one hand, to the generally pleasant cycling conditions in the North German Plain, which has no significant inclines or slopes, and on the other hand, to the promotion of cycling by municipal policies, partly to reduce inner-city car traffic and the associated cross-border air pollution from fine dust and nitrogen oxides.
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Cycling to Lilienthal
It's about 11 kilometers from Bremen's city center to Lilienthal in Lower Saxony, just beyond the city limits. While tram line 4 connects both places, a bike tour is much more fun. Along the Jan-Reiners-Weg, you can cycle through a green landscape without car traffic, and even within Lilienthal itself, the route follows small paths along the Wörpe River with light traffic, leading to the historic city center.
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