Hamburg silhouette at "Binnenalster"
In 1190, the Alster lake was created by damming the river Alster to serve as a mill pond for the operation of a large grain mill. The Alster meadows, which were uninhabited at the time, were flooded over a large area. Around 1620, the mill pond was divided into two parts, the larger Outer Alster and the much smaller Inner Alster.
In winter, the Alter sometimes freezes over so thickly that a folk festival can take place on it. However, these occasions have become rare, largely due to the warmer winters and to a lesser extent due to the increased safety requirements for the ice thickness, which must now be 20 cm before the ice surface is cleared for the construction of stands.
Hamburg silhouette at "Binnenalster"
In 1190, the Alster lake was created by damming the river Alster to serve as a mill pond for the operation of a large grain mill. The Alster meadows, which were uninhabited at the time, were flooded over a large area. Around 1620, the mill pond was divided into two parts, the larger Outer Alster and the much smaller Inner Alster.
In winter, the Alter sometimes freezes over so thickly that a folk festival can take place on it. However, these occasions have become rare, largely due to the warmer winters and to a lesser extent due to the increased safety requirements for the ice thickness, which must now be 20 cm before the ice surface is cleared for the construction of stands.