Hamburg, Germany’s historic Speicherstadt and Chilehaus, including the Kontorhaus warehouse complex and office district, has been approved for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Comprising the largest continuous warehouse complex in the world and covering 64 acres in Hamburg’s port area, the Speicherstadt (warehouse city) is one of the city’s most popular tourist sites, with museums that include Miniatur Wunderland, the Hamburg Dungeon and the Speicherstadt museum.

The 17 buildings that make up the area were built on massive oak pilings, while the distinctive Wilhelmine Gothic red-brick architectural style features gables and turrets. The buildings boast more than 3.2 million square feet of space historically used to store tea, coffee, cocoa, spices, tobacco and valuable carpets. Next door to the Speicherstadt, the Kontorhaus district — recognized as continental Europe’s first dedicated business district — features famous 1920s and 1930s buildings including the Chilehaus, the Messberghof and the Sprinkenhof. The distinctive Chilehaus, built in German Brick Expressionism, is easily recognizable for its resemblance to an enormous jutting ship’s bow.