Bremen

Bremen has shown its spirit of independence since the late medieval period and this is displayed in its architecture and the 10-metre statue of the armed giant Roland. The architecture, known as Weser Renaissance, is a regional adaptation of Dutch and Flemish styles, built in north German red-brick style in its old town hall.

Bremen's trading life and architecture are reflected in the clothmaker building the Gewerbehaus and the merchant house, known as the Schütting. The intricate city weighhouse is another prime example. Its artist-inspired, business-supported red-brick street, the Böttcherstraße, brought 1920s Expressionism to a historical town quarter.

The popular Schnoorviertel is another post-war recreation inspired by Bremen's past. The arts are now closely interwoven with the central city. The port reached out to northern seas, then west, and later became a key centre for emigration to North America.