1842

Clean Sweep

From the 19th century a sewage system designed by William Lindley brought cleanliness and hygiene to the district.
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Once the French occupation of Hamburg had been ended by military means, trade began to revive. Large parts of Hamburg’s historic core, the Grosse Bleichen street and Jungfernstieg were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1842, which raged for three days.
The subsequent reconstruction effort laid the foundations for a modern port and industrial city.In addition to the newly created streets and buildings, a central waterworks and a sewage system were built by English engineer William Lindley. Both were pioneering achievements. The first major sewer built below Grosse Bleichen in 1842 is still in use today; it was even visited by the German emperor Frederick III.