Hamburg ranked most liveable city in Germany by Economist
Hamburg is Germany’s most liveable city, according to an annual list published by the Economist Intelligence Unit on Wednesday.
For the second year running Hamburg came in 10th place on the Global Liveability Report, that ranks 140 world cities on various factors, including health, culture and environment, education, infrastructure, and stability.
Hamburg earned a perfect score of 100 for both its health care and infrastructure, and earned 94 points for its culture and environment, 92 points for education, and 90 points for stability. It earned a total score of 95.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Elbphilharmonie concert hall
Construction work for the concert hall took nearly 10 years. Hamburg’s new landmark, carried by over 1,700 reinforced concrete piles, majestically rises up into the sky. An old warehouse was gutted, re-designed and had a futuristic glass covered extension added. The Elbphilharmonie is Hamburg’s foremost prestigious building project.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
HafenCity
The Elbphilharmonie is part of Hamburg’s newly developed HafenCity, Europe’s largest urban regeneration projects. Since 2001, on an area of some 157 hectares, up to 7,000 apartments, promenades, squares, shops and offices have been created. The western part (green) is completed, the central part (blue) is still under construction and in the eastern part (red), building work is just beginning.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Überseequartier district
The HafenCity is divided into several districts. One of them being the Überseequartier – or overseas quarter as it would be called in English. It is to become the commercial heart of the HafenCity, creating over 6,000 jobs, with restaurants, hotels, shops and leisure activities including a large cinema. The northern part is pretty much completed but the southern part is still under construction.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Cruise Center HafenCity
Part of the Überseequartier district is the Cruise Center HafenCity, Hamburg’s gateway to the world. Here big cruise ships dock and trade fairs are held in the terminal buildings. The building dating from 2004 was only only a temporary solution and will be replaced by a significantly bigger construction with a hotel in early 2017, as Hamburg reacts to the booming sea cruise market.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Marco-Polo-Tower
Another architectural masterpiece in the HafenCity is the Marco-Polo-Tower, an eye-catching feature on the waterfront next to the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. The 55-meter-high extravagant apartment tower can be seen from afar. The 17 floors have been differently sculpted to give it the appearance that they are being turned on their axis. Construction of the tower was completed in 2010.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Opening of the Spree Harbor
For years, a customs fence prohibited direct access to the Spree harbor. In 2013, the free port agreement was lifted and the fence removed. The International Building Exhibition Hamburg, responsible for developing and regenerating the harbor area, had new foot and bicycle paths constructed. A stroll there allows you to see the biggest collection of house boats in Hamburg.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
City coastline
By now, Hamburg has a 10-kilometer (6.3-mile) stretch of “city coastline” with promenades along the waterfront. They begin at the Deichtorhallen art center, lead past the HafenCity to the landing bridges and beyond the Elbmeile restaurant and shopping area next to the fish market, all the way to Övelgönne.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Cultural landscape
Hamburg doesn’t just focus on urban development. Some 1.6 billion euros are to be invested in cultural buildings by 2020. An outstanding example is the Elbphilharmonie. Others include the modernization of the Deichtorhallen art center and two newly constructed musical theater venues. The Bucerius Art Forum (pictured) is currently being extended and a harbor museum is also planned.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Wilhelmsburg district
For years, the Elbe river islands were dominated by dreary high-rises and decaying factory buildings. Wilhelmsburg was seen as a troubled district. The International Building Exhibition Hamburg has also been active here: new apartments were constructed, old buildings redeveloped and social projects initiated. Today the multi-cultural district is popular especially with young families and students.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
Mitte Altona area
A new district is also emerging in the Mitte Altona area. The Hamburg-Altona railway terminus is to be shut down and the rail tracks removed. The current local train station Diebteich is to be turned into a major rail station. Thousands of apartments are to be built on the area that will become available as there is a permanent demand for accommodation in popular Hamburg.
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Hamburg is an ever-changing city
The Hamburger Deckel tunnel system
More room for homes is to be created through the new Hamburger Deckel tunnel system. The busy A7 motorway is to be covered at three places to reduce traffic noise. The tunnel deck is to be turned into parks, allotments and community gardens aimed at reconnecting districts. Two of the new tunnels are already being constructed and work on the cover is scheduled to begin in 2019.
The Hanseatic city was the only German city to make the top 10, with Frankfurt coming 21st, closely followed by Berlin at 23 and Munich at 24, with Düsseldorf managing joint-32nd place.
Hamburg the most stable German city
Read more: German cities ready themselves for climate change
According to detailed breakdowns seen by Deutsche Welle, Hamburg was dragged down most by its stability indicators, but it was still deemed the most stable city in Germany.
Researchers said the prevalence of petty crime and violent crime in Hamburg were both “tolerable” – one rank beneath the top rating of “acceptable.”
It was marked down for its humidity and temperature, as well as for the discomfort that its climate caused to travelers.
Its private education institutions scored top marks, but the city was marked down for its public education indicators.
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The world’s most expensive cities
The big winner for big spenders
With a name that means “fragrant harbor” and a location on the Pearl River, Hong Kong just sounds like it belongs on top of the list. The densely-packed metropolis serves as one of the most important financial marketplaces in the world. Expatriates often work in the banking industry – and can therefore presumably afford life in the former British colony.
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The world’s most expensive cities
Dethroned
Luanda, the capital of Angola, dropped from first to second in the rankings. Behind the high-cost of living is the fact that Angola lives primarily off of exporting its resources – natural gas most of all. Everything else has to be imported, and the costs stack up.
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The world’s most expensive cities
The Euro champ
Zürich, Switzerland’s largest city, ranks also as Europe’s most expensive. Like Hong Kong, Zürich is a global financial powerhouse, though its population is much smaller. Its 400,000 residents can surely find consolation in the fact that their city also appears often at the top of quality of life rankings.
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The world’s most expensive cities
Pushed up by the Yen
The Japanese capital of Tokyo shot up in the rankings, due to a strengthening in the yen. A stronger currency means that ex-pats have to shell over more dollars, pounds and euros to pay for rent or a plate of sushi compared to the year before. But life in the metropolis of nine-million has never really been cheap.
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The world’s most expensive cities
Brought down by the Ruble
While the yen rose, the Russian ruble sank over the past year, bringing Moscow’s cost of living for foreigners along with it. The capital city dropped from 17 to 67 in the rankings. The cheap currency gives expatriates a rare chance to stretch their home currency farther in an otherwise expensive city.
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The world’s most expensive cities
Last and least
The Namibian capital Windhoek came in as the 2016 ranking’s cheapest city, placing as number 209. In its annual study, Mercer focuses its attention on housing, food, leisure and transportation costs.
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The world’s most expensive cities
German cities in between
Relatively speaking, German cities are neither too cheap nor too expensive. Munich came in as Germany’s priciest city at number 77, with Frankfurt at 88 and Berlin at 100. The northern port-city of Hamburg sprang up 11 spots to 133. “Living costs pushed prices up. The strong demand in big cities resulted in higher prices,” said Mercer’s Juliane Gruethner.
In everything else it scored perfectly, including transport, utilities, recreation and healthcare.
Next best city Frankfurt was marked down heavily for its stability rating. The prevalence of petty crime and violent crime were “tolerable,” like in Hamburg. But it was also marked down for the threats of civil unrest and terrorism.
Similar to Hamburg, it was had points taken off for its humidity and temperature, but not for its climate-caused discomfort to travelers. Education was ranked the same as Hamburg.
Berlin, ranked 23, had the same points knocked off for stability and climate as Frankfurt, but it was also marked down for its quality of regional and international transport links.
In Munich, ranked 24, the stability ranking was similar, but the threat of civil unrest was deemed less likely. As in the other German cities, the public education was given a less-than-perfect score.
Munich also had points taken off for its quality of road transport, its quality of international and regional transport links, and for the availability of good quality housing.
Second year running
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
“Schanzenviertel” covered in debris
This part of town was the scene of escalating violence. That did not come as a surprise: The quarter is traditionally the hub of Hamburg’s leftist activists. It has been subject to gentrification, turning into a “hip” place to live and magnet for tourists.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
A night of devastation
Police regained control over the streets of Hamburg in the early hours of the morning.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Looting and rioting
Several shops were looted and damaged during the first day of protests.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Smoke bombs
Black block protesters were throwing flares at police from behind street baracades. It took several hours for police to really push back in the early hours of Saturday morning.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Fires were lit and shops looted
Fires were set in Hamburg streets and some cars were burned out.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Burning barricades
Protesters lit barricades on Friday evening. Throughout the city cars had been set on fire.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Violence took over as night fell
Cars were burned and barricades set alight as a violent mob stepped up its actions, sidelining the majority of mainly peaceful protesters.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Black Bloc
Police blamed anarchists with the so-called Black Bloc movement for much of the violence. Black Bloc protesters wear all black and cover their faces to avoid being identified.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Battle of G20 Hamburg
Riot police disperse crowds with water cannon vehicles on Friday.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Armored vehicles on the streets
Police use water against a woman after she climbed on top of an armoured carrier on Friday.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Chasing protesters
Police chased protesters up a hill to gain control of the streets.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
War zone
A picture published on social media shows smoke rising from the streets during protests on Friday.
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Hamburg: G20 protests in pictures
Children among those affected
Violent protests turned several neighborhoods where children usually play into scenes from a warzone.
Hamburg first cracked the top 10 list in 2016 after some world cities slipped in stability rankings for terror attacks within their city borders. Hamburg itself was besieged with violence this year as the host of the G20 summit.
The Australian city of Melbourne came on top for the seventh year running with a score of 97.5. Australia had two other cities on the top 10 with Adelaide tied for fifth and Perth at number seven.
The Premier of Victoria, the Australian state in which Melbourne lies, told Fairfax Media the ranking was a “win for all Victorians, who contribute so much to making Melbourne the best place to live in the world.”
Austria’s capital Vienna came in second. Canada took third, fourth and equal-fifth with Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary respectively.
New Zealand’s Auckland came in eighth and Finland’s Helsinki came in ninth.
Earlier this year the New York Times ranked Hamburg as one its must-see destinations.
Read more: Is the German property market at the end of a 7-year cycle?
The Syrian city of Damascus came in last, with Nigeria’s Lagos, Libya’s Tripoli, Bangladesh’s Dhaka and Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby all sharing similarly poor results.
The five cities that improved the most over the past five years were Tehran, Dubai, Abidjan, Harare and Colombo, but they all still remained in the bottom half of the 140.
The report is marketed to major businesses to help decide extra renumeration packages for its overseas executives.
Article source: http://www.dw.com/en/hamburg-ranked-most-liveable-city-in-germany-by-economist/a-40126077?maca=en-rss-en-ger-1023-xml-atom