About the Picture Slideshow/Slide Show: This Hamburg elevator tunnel is running under the river elbe in hamburg. The 1/2 kilometre ‘technical marvel’, known as the ‘old river elbe tunnel’, was built in 1911, 24 metres below the river and connects central hamburg with the shipyard island of steinwerder. This tunnel is unique as its entry points are on each side of the river rather than just driving straight into the tunnel. Vehicles can enter a freight elevator which slowly descends to the tunnel below, the tunnel then taking traffic to a similar elevator on the opposite side which lifts them back to ground level.