KUNST AM ROTHENBAUM

For the third time this autumn, the gallery walk “Art at Rothenbaum” will take place in the Hamburg district of the same name.

 

Seventeen galleries, auction houses, and museums are participating, inviting culture enthusiasts, art lovers, and collectors to explore a walkable area filled with diverse works of art—paintings, photographs, graphics, and objects from different eras.

Although Hamburg offers a variety of other art and cultural walks (including the Long Night of Museums, gallery tours such as Walk Talk, the HfbK annual exhibition, or add art – Hamburg’s Business Opens Its Doors to Art), Art at Rothenbaum has its own distinctive character.
The experiences of the past two years were not just “another art walk where you see art,” but rather something more personal—a gathering of the extended art community. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, free from pressure or intimidation, inviting visitors to explore all the individual venues devoted to art and to engage in conversation. Of course, art is also being traded.

 

Once incorporated into Hamburg in 1894, the former suburb became a popular residential and recreational area in the mid-19th century. The damming of the Outer Alster Lake, with its meadows, clusters of trees, and tranquility, along with the lifting of the “toll barrier” in 1860, made the area particularly attractive—a reputation it retains to this day.

The former toll and checkpoint that once stood at the city’s edge gave the entire district its name: legend has it that the barrier (or “baum”) was painted a distinctive red, visible from afar. This brick red, incidentally, appears in Hamburg’s coat of arms and serves as the signature color of Art at Rothenbaum.

 

Today, no toll is collected at the former gate—though Hamburg, of course, still finds many other creative ways to generate revenue, such as through parking and traffic fines. Visitors are advised to use public transport.

The area’s character arises from its mix of residential quarters, business districts, consulates, law firms, and offices. Alongside them are long-established small shops, bars, and restaurants—and, notably, a remarkably vibrant gallery scene.

 

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