Pace Race // Hamburg 2026

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city and, at the same time, one of Germany's 16 federal states or Bundesländer. Prior to the formation of the modern German state, Hamburg for centuries enjoyed a status as de facto independent city state and regional power and trade hub in the North Sea. Although situated over 100 km (62 mi) upriver from the North Sea on the Elbe, Hamburg has been one of Europe's most important ports for centuries, as reflected in its full name referencing the Hanseatic League. The city was built on the confluence of the Elbe with a smaller tributary, and much of the southern bank of the Elbe is today occupied by an enormous seaport.