On 29 April 2022 the great moment had come: Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr Peter Tschentscher, officially opened the new CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. “The new CCH gives Hamburg a modern congress centre with wide-ranging capabilities in an attractive location right in the heart of the city. It provides ideal conditions for international congresses and events tackling the challenges of the future. The new CCH is a boon to Hamburg’s tourism and hospitality sectors. It highlights the strong position of our city as an international science and business hub,” said Dr Tschentscher.
The entrance hall, 25 metres tall, bathed in light, with an elegant white natural stone floor, welcomes guests with one of the highlights of the entire complex: The world’s largest pendant light, which weighs more than 1.2 tonnes. From the foyer visitors can reach the other three floors using escalators and open stairs. The next highlight, Hall 3, is a place of nostalgia: Its more than 1,000 original ceiling lights, which have been creating a unique ambience for countless events since the 1970s, have been preserved. Carefully restored and fitted with modern LEDs, they shine with renewed splendour, as does the entire hall, a perfect venue for festive banquets, balls and gala dinners with a “grand stage”.
Other treasures at the CCH include Halls 1 and Z, both fitted with permanent seating. The exquisite Hall 1 in the “historic” section of the CCH can seat 3,000 guests and is under historic preservation protection. It is Hamburg’s largest hall with permanent seating, featuring a spacious stage which can be enlarged to a stunning 365 square metres, and highly comfortable seats fitted with electric outlets and writing tablets. Hall Z on the third floor has nearly 1,000 seats. With its predominantly blue decoration, this hall has a distinctly “Hamburg” air. It has a total area of 1,125 square metres and a clear height of over eight metres. While you cannot climb any higher from here, you can reach Foyer Z which offers a breath-taking view over Planten un Blomen Park. Another place with a splendid panorama, the Belvedere on the second floor connects the three vertical sections of the CCH – East, Central and West – and grants access to the rooftop garden for relaxing breaks amid plenty of greenery, fresh air and twittering birds.
Based on designs by the architectural cooperative agn leusmann / Tim Hupe Architekten, the CCH offers 36,000 square meters of rentable space. The event spaces, the foyers and the exhibition areas each total 12,000 square metres, making the CCH one of Europe’s largest congress centres. 12,000 visitors can attend events at the CCH simultaneously. With its flexible spatial concept the CCH sets new standards: Up to 50 halls, each equipped with state-of-the-art event technology, can be rented for congresses and other events of all kinds. These are great assets for the CCH to continue its legacy as a top location for national and international events!
