Discover the Hanseatic cities

It began as a network of long-distance merchants and developed into a powerful association of cities: the Hanseatic League. For more than 400 years, the Hanseatic League shaped the economy, trade and politics of northern Europe. Today, the Hanseatic cities are reconnecting with their great past: The Union of Cities THE HANSA was founded in Zwolle in 1980 to revive the common cultural heritage and, with almost 200 member cities, is one of the largest voluntary associations of cities in the world.

The Hanseatic League is world heritage. From the seven towers of Lübeck's old town, to the former Hanseatic Kontor in Bergen, Norway, to the town hall and Roland statue in Bremen, Germany, seven sites of the old Hansa have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. The history of the Hansa itself has also made it onto the World Heritage Register in the form of 21 original documents.