Charitable Harmony Well in the Heart of the City

Clucks of hens, purrs of cats, or barks of dogs will echo when someone donates into the captivating box buried in the earth on the street in front of Bremen City Hall.

Charitable Harmony Well in the Heart of Bremen City

If you have the chance to visit the city of Bremen, in the northern part of Germany, you'll hear about a peculiar box named Bremer Loch. It's a circular hole, its lid cast in bronze with a narrow slit in the middle. Drop a coin or paper money, and you'll hear one of the 4 sounds of animals: a donkey, a dog, a cat, or a rooster, expressing gratitude.

Bremer Loch, or the Bremen Hole, is the brainchild of Professor and designer Fitz Haase. He conceived the idea of building a donation box to support the city's charitable organizations. Since its debut in 2007, it annually collects between 12,000 to 17,000 euros. The funds are managed and disbursed by the charity organization Wilhelm-Kaisen-Buergerhilfe.

Beneath that bronze lid lies a simple steel drum. When visitors drop coins into the slot, the money travels to an optic fiber tube. It sends signals to an activator, and a pre-recorded chip produces the sounds of animals, creating a delightful auditory experience.

Many travelers have wondered about Fitz's choice of sounds for the 4 animals. In reality, he selected them from characters in the Grimm fairy tale 'The Musicians of Bremen.' The story recounts 4 animals - a rooster, a dog, a donkey, and a cat - deemed 'outdated,' abandoned by their owners. They journeyed together to Bremen to become musicians. On arrival, they collaborated to drive robbers out of a house and lived happily ever after. These animals have become symbolic icons for Bremen, even inspiring sculpted statues for these talented 'artists.'

To this day, this place isn't recognized as a famous tourist spot, so visitors can comfortably spend time listening to all 4 animal sounds without worrying about disturbances. Bremer Loch is located on the corner opposite the City Hall, but lacking signage, tourists may need a bit of time to find it.

There are various ways to reach Bremen from Berlin: by plane, car, or train. If flying, ticket prices start from $80. By car or taxi, the travel time is around 3 hours and 40 minutes, with prices starting from $50. The most economical means of transportation is by bus, approximately $15, according to Rome2rio.

Several airlines from Vietnam fly to Germany, with a flight time of about 14 hours (excluding layover time). Vietnamese travelers need to obtain a Schengen visa for entry.

According to Vân Phạm/ Vnexpress

***

Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour