Hamburg's main attractions cluster along the water. The Speicherstadt warehouse district and the new HafenCity around the Elbphilharmonie are the obvious starting point, followed by a harbour tour from the Landungsbruecken. The historic centre adds the Rathaus, the Alster lakes, and the great brick churches that survived the Great Fire of 1842 and the Allied bombing. For a feel of how the city actually lives, walk through the neighbourhoods — St. Pauli, the Schanzenviertel, Altona, and Eppendorf each have a distinct character.