The Portuguese Quarter in Hamburg is a neighborhood in the southern part of Hamburg’s Neustadt district. Its name derives from the numerous immigrants from Spain and Portugal who settled here, and the gastronomy that is primarily influenced by them. The district is particularly popular with tourists and is marketed accordingly.
The district extends from the Hafentor (U-Bahn/S-Bahn station Landungsbrücken) in the west to Schaarmarkt and Neustädter Neuer Weg in the east. The northern border is formed by the streets Eichholz and Venusberg, while the streets Johannisbollwerk and Vorsetzen, which run directly along the harbor, border the district to the south. The main street of the Portuguese Quarter is Ditmar-Koel-Straße, named after a 16th-century Hamburg mayor.
The architecture of the district is dominated by buildings dating from around 1900. They were created during the redevelopment of the former Gängeviertel (street quarters). The area was originally characterized by dockworkers, small businesses, and companies in the shipping industry. The Nordic seafarers’ churches and several shipping companies are still present. These companies include the “Nord” Klaus E. Oldendorf shipping company, the Schulte Group, the Bugsier shipping company, and the Petersen & Alpers shipping company, founded in 1793. These companies are located on the southern edge of the Portuguese Quarter. The only remaining company from the ship chandlers’ sector is the Chr. Weimeister ironmongery. The harbor pharmacy, founded in 1768, still supplies medical equipment for seagoing vessels.
Small businesses, especially the gastronomy industry, have traditionally been and remain strong in this district. In the 2000s, there was a significant increase in the number of catering establishments, so that in 2011 there were about 40 cafés and restaurants.
