Neoclassical garden house of the banker Salomon Heine on the Elbchaussee – a memorial to him and Heinrich Heine, with readings and small cabinet exhibitions.
September 11, 2026 – April 30, 2027
Cabinet exhibition about Johanna Schopenhauer, Rahel Varnhagen, and Fanny Lewald and the question of what freedoms stays at 19th-century European spa resorts opened up for them.
The Jewish banker and patron Salomon Heine (1767–1844), uncle of the poet Heinrich Heine, bought a country estate on the Elbchaussee in Ottensen in 1812. In 1832 he had a small garden house built there, probably to designs by Joseph Ramée. Its centerpiece is the oval Garden Hall with stucco decoration on the first floor, which Heine used as a private retreat; the gardener lived on the upper floor. The large country house, which Heinrich Heine mockingly called the "Affrontenburg" (castle of affronts), was demolished around 1880 – making the garden house the last building from Salomon Heine's time.
After changing owners, the property passed into city ownership; after 1945 the housing company SAGA used the garden house as living quarters. It was listed as a historic monument in 1962 but fell increasingly into disrepair. On private initiative, the Heine-Haus e. V. association was founded in 1975; with support from the district, the monument preservation office, and the culture authority, it restored the building and opened it to the public in 1979 as a memorial to Salomon and Heinrich Heine.
Since 2001, the Heine-Haus has been a branch of the Altonaer Museum within the Stiftung Historische Museen Hamburg; the association remains responsible for maintenance, programming, and events. Under the motto "Kultur im Kleinod" (culture in a little gem), readings, talks, and concerts take place in the Garden Hall, along with small cabinet exhibitions. In 2009 the facade was restored again with the help of the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung.
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3School and university students and trainees up to age 28 (for events) |
| Students & apprentices | €3Up to age 28, applies to events. |
Visit with guided tour: €10 per person. Events (except special events): €10, reduced €3, members of the Heine-Haus e. V. €5, supporting members free. Registration for events is requested.
The Garden Hall is accessible, but some historic rooms are not. The restrooms are in the basement and can only be reached by stairs; advance notice recommended.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Susettestraße
Bus 111 and 112 to Susettestraße, Bus 15 to Rothestraße; S-Bahn Altona (S1, S11, S21, S31)
Due to construction work on Elbchaussee, the building is at times accessible only on foot or by bike – check the website in advance.
Get directionsThe museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits by appointment only and with a guided tour. |
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