Asparagus was once grown in this part of Hannover but the agriculture has gone and now the area is known for its massive fairground and innovative housing developments.

Although Mittelfeld is mostly an ordinary neighborhood, because it is home to the city’s notable Exhibition and Convention Center, visitors from all over the world regularly visit it.

Mittelfeld, which is German “midfield,” used to be an agricultural area where asparagus was grown. The land was also used for military purposes in the late 18th century. Today’s Mittelfeld is very different from the gray, drab industrial hub it was when it was first developed in the 1950s. The suburb now has some sought-after real estate near the urban parks that border the neighborhood and it’s home to many groundbreaking community housing projects. Some 9,000 people call this relatively new suburb home.

The Hannover Fairground started out as the “Deutsche Industrie Messe,” the German Industry Trade Fair. It was built to stimulate trade and boost the region’s economy after the devastation of World War II. In 1961 the name was changed to “Hanover Messe” and the Fairground is also known as the “Deutsche Messe.”

Today the fairground is one of the largest exhibition centers in the world. The complex takes up about 123 acres (50 hectares) and has no less than 26 exhibition halls under its giant roof. As well as those, there are pavilions, green spaces and chill out zones. The fairground attracts mass events, such as cultural exhibitions, conferences and industrial trade shows. Examples include health, beauty and wellness fairs, book fairs and art markets, boating or caravanning trade shows and conferences about agricultural and forestry.

There is a wide range of accommodations nearby, but many visitors prefer the hotels in the central district of Hannover, where you can find many of the city’s historic buildings, parks, shops and restaurants.

Mittelfeld is located in the Döhren-Wülfel district, south of the city center. If you are arriving by car, take the Messeschnellweg to get there. Street parking is widely available and the fairground has ample parking spaces too. There are good public transportation connections to the city.