Situated on the river Leine, Hanover is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony. It is also the capital of the surrounding Hanover district and was the capital of the Hanover region until Lower Saxony's regions were disbanded.
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The town was founded in medieval times on the bank of the
River Leine (the original name Honovere may be translated as "high bank"). It was a small village of ferrymen and fishermen, which became a comparatively large town in the 13th century. In the 14th century the main churches of
Hanover were built, as well as a city wall with three town gates to secure the city.
The
Altstadt, or old section of the city, has many
medieval features, including narrow streets, gabled houses with overhanging balconies, and the
Markt Kirche, a brick structure dating from the 14th century. The oldest religious building in
Hannover is the
Kreuzkirche, constructed about 1300.
Among other notable structures are the former
Rathaus (town hall), built in Gothic style between 1439 and 1455; the former
royal palace, completed in 1640 and now an art museum; and the landscaped gardens of
Herrenhausen, formerly the summer residence of the royal family of
Hannover.
Museums in the city include the
Museum of Lower Saxony, with notable displays of painting and ethnographical materials; the
Sprengel Museum, housing a collection of modern art; the
Kestner Museum, with a rich collection of Egyptian antiquities; and a museum devoted to the writer and illustrator
Wilhelm Busch. A technical university is in
Hannover. The well-known
Herrenhaeuser Garten, 48.6 hectares (120 acres) of Baroque gardens, is in
Hannover's western suburb.
