Italy is known for its narrow streets. And Bremen has one of the shortest streets in the world - only 100 meters – this is the length of Bettherstrasse, where are located seven houses of incredible beauty, each of them is an architectural monument built in the 16th-20th centuries.
The street always existed in that place. In the Middle Ages the artisans, mostly producers of barrels, lived here. This was a good location because the Bettherstrasse street connected the center of Bremen and the port. But in the 19th century, the port was transported, the street trading became not too active, the artisans and traders were leaving for the more profitable locations, that is why the Bettherstrasse street became deserted, and the houses were selling.
The famous coffee magnate Ludwig Roselius revived the street, which was earlier popular: he bought all the houses and decided to completely reconstruct the city. So, in a couple of decades, the deserted spot turned to a very beautiful and cozy place, which became almost a symbol of Bremen.
Unfortunately, not all the houses were left in their original form, because during the Second World War most of the buildings were destroyed, but, owing to the sponsors, in 1999 the monuments of architecture returned their original look.
The most famous building on Bettherstrasse is, of course, the Glockenspiel house with bells, built in 1934. On its facade, there are put 30 small porcelain bells, which play a nice melody several times a day.
Close to the music house, there is another unique building: a rotating tower. The bas-reliefs, installed on the walls, tell the histories of medieval discoverers. Every day, at a certain time, the paintings replace each other and open, making the performance.
In addition to the unusual houses, there are museums: the house museum of the German artist Paula Moderson-Becker, and the house museum of the coffee magnate Ludwig Roselius, who created the unique look of the street.
So, coming to Bremen, it is worth to visit Bettherstrasse. It is like to come to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower.