In Hamburg, the Elbphilharmonie building was completed

source: http://www.hamburg.de/elbphilharmonie/

Hamburg - In northern Germany's Hamburg, the construction of the Elbphilharmonie was ceremoniously completed today after years of delays, which is set to become a new landmark of the port city and, according to the city's expectations, a magnet for tourists. The grand opening of the concert hall is scheduled for January of next year, the DPA agency reported.

The construction company today ceremoniously handed over the keys to the completed Elbphilharmonie building to city representatives, nine and a half years after the laying of the foundation stone. "Hamburg has gained a striking building with the Elbphilharmonie, without whose architecture the city's skyline can no longer be imagined," stated Mayor Olaf Scholz.

The viewing terrace on the building will be opened to the public this Friday. A restaurant and hotel will also start operations in the building. The opening concerts are scheduled for January 11 and 12 of next year.

The construction of the Elbphilharmonie began in 2007 and was originally planned to be completed in 2010. Delays during construction and a subsequent legal dispute over cost obligations led to many years of postponement. As the delays increased, so did the cost of the building. The expected 77 million euros (two billion CZK) skyrocketed to 789 million (21.3 billion CZK).