In the Rostock city harbor is a replica of a harbor treading crane from 1780, built in 1997 and repaired again in 2008.
The original crane was sold and demolished in 1867.
With this type of crane, loads are lifted by rolling a rope onto the axle drum of a pedal bike, often a pair of wheels.
The ancient Romans already knew this technique.
A replica of such a Roman crane is in Bonn-Castell.
In the 11th to 13th centuries, this lifting technique was widespread on the Rhine and its tributaries. Here, however, the basic housing of the crane, which served as a support and bearing for the boom, was made of masonry.
One such pedal crane, the Old Krahnen, is still on the Rhine near Andernach.
From the 13th to 16th centuries, pedal cranes were primarily made entirely of wood, such as the Rostock crane.
The Rostock harbor crane was the last new building of its kind.
Due to the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, lifting technology was replaced by newly developed, more effective methods.
This crane was not primarily used for loading and unloading ships.
It was mainly used to erect the masts of the brigs that were built in Rostock until the 1980s.
Together with Warnemünde, the city harbor is the venue for the Rostock Hansesail, which takes place annually in August.
The German shipping company, among others, has offices in the commercial buildings built in the style of the old warehouses at the eastern end of the city harbor.
The cruise company AIDA Cruises also has its German headquarters here in the Rostock city harbor.
The cultural venues include stage 602, which is played by the Compagnie de Comédie.
A venue for the Volkstheater (theater in the city harbor) was abandoned in 2014.
The city harbor came into international reporting when riots broke out in the city harbor on June 2, 2007 at the final rally of a large demonstration for the 2007 G8 summit in Heiligendamm.
(Source: Wikipedia)