Once upon a time, four tired animals decided they had had enough of working for others. A donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster set off to seek a new life – and a new future – in Bremen. They had little more than their voices, their courage and each other. Their journey became one of the best-known fairy tales told by the Brothers Grimm.
Today, the four friends are among Bremen’s most famous symbols. And wherever you go in the historic city centre, you’ll find traces of their story.
Bremen’s most famous landmark is the bronze statue of the Town Musicians beside the historic Town Hall, created by German sculptor Gerhard Marcks. A visit to Bremen wouldn’t be complete without seeing the four animals stacked one on top of another – and, according to local tradition, touching the donkey’s front legs is said to bring good luck.
But the Town Musicians appear in many other places around the city, too. Look out for them in the Böttcherstraße, in the atmospheric Schnoor quarter and even in a manhole cover near the Town Hall, where you can hear the animals’ voices.
From May to September, you can see the Town Musicians come to life every Sunday at noon on Domshof square. The free open-air performance brings the famous fairy tale to the heart of Bremen with live music and plenty of humour.
For an even more interactive experience, follow the Town Musicians through Bremen’s historic market square with an augmented-reality tour. Along the way, they reveal fascinating stories about the Town Hall, the Roland statue and some of the city’s most famous landmarks – directly in your mobile browser, with no app download required.
The Town Musicians are the perfect starting point for exploring Bremen on foot. From here, it’s just a short stroll to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Town Hall and Roland statue, the winding lanes of the historic Schnoor quarter and the colourful Böttcherstraße.
Here, fairy tales meet more than a thousand years of history, Hanseatic tradition and the lively atmosphere of a modern city.
Bremen marks the northern end of the German Fairy Tale Route – a fitting finale for a journey through the world of the Brothers Grimm. Follow the Town Musicians, explore the historic old town and discover a city where one of Germany’s best-loved fairy tales is still very much alive.
