One of the primary and culturally significant landmarks of Sierksdorf, Hansa Park is a hub of excitement and awe. Formerly known as Hansaland, the family-run park is located close to the Baltic Sea and has been attracting numerous tourists every year since 1977. Home to the country's first Legoland from 1973 to 1976, the facility was converted into one of the largest amusement parks by the Leicht family. From winding roller coasters, thrilling water slides and adrenaline-inducing joyrides, Hansa Park has everything for thrill-seekers. Categorized into various themes, Hansa Park is a must-visit attraction for adventure lovers as well as families.
The stern is pointing out to the sea, just as if the ship was only waiting for the harbor pilot to set sails and embark for the Baltic Sea. However, the Passat has found her last port here. She was built in 1911, when sailing ships were already a species on the brink of extinction. However her owner, Laeiz Lines, wanted to keep the tradition of their famous "Flying-P-Liners" alive. The Passat was the most up-to-date sailing ship in the world then. She was still serving as a school ship for the merchant navy in the 1950s when a similar vessel, the Pamir, sank in the South Atlantic in 1957 and took 80 cadets with her. That was the end for the Passat: she was taken out of service and was to be wrecked, but the city of Lubeck bought the ship and towed her to her old home port.
Extending over the centuries, the imposing town hall is a patchwork of different architectural styles. The original building dates from 1230. The Lange Haus (Long House) was added in 1298 and extended in 1442 with an ornate main hall. The last major change was made in 1570, with a stylish Dutch renaissance-style limestone building erected on the wing facing Breite Straße. The town hall is still the seat of the city council and can be visited in guided tours. The rococo Audienzsaal (reception hall) from 1760 is particularly impressive.
The Königstraße is the little sister of Breite Straße – a bit less prominent, but by no means less attractive for shoppers. Here, the omnipresent chain retailers you would find in every shopping district are clearly outnumbered by significantly more interesting individual stores, from florists to bakeries. Since the street suffered less damage in World War II than its nearby counterpart, it also has more historical buildings to offer to the sightseer. Particularly notable is the Romanesque brick house of the Löwen Pharmacy at the corner Dr.-Julius-Leber-Straße, built in 1230 and thus the oldest surviving secular building in Lübeck. Also worth extra attention are the town palais No. 21, with a Rococo facade from 1770, which today houses the Willy Brandt Museum; and the elegantly plain neoclassical Reformed Church from 1826. -Oliver Henkel
One of the city’s oldest church, the St. Mary’s Church is a gateway to Lubeck’s cultural history. An exemplary model of North German brick gothic architecture, the church is a symbol of the city’s prosperity. During World War II, the church suffered grave damages; however, the city restored the structure in a way that retained the grandeur of the church, whilst exhibiting the war wounds. The broken remains of the historic bells are an example of the mindful restoration. In addition to the notable architecture and fascinating history, the church houses several cultural highlights, such as the astronomical clock, the historic carillon and the Fredenhagen altarpiece. The Danse Macabre stained glass of the church is possibly its most popular feature. The vivid windows of the Danse Macabre Chapel boast of colorful artwork, depicting morbid figures of those dead and alive. Visit the St. Mary’s Church for an unforgettable immersive experience.
Museumshafen is a port museum in Lubeck that is located in the Northwestern area of the city. It showcases ships, barges and other vessels to avid tourists. The museum is a fine place to witness many rare and beautiful ships that are kept in a good condition. Some of the exhibits include historical ships like Rikke, Krik Vig and Sirius.
Despite its size, the small church by the highly frequented Ratzeburger Allee is remarkable. Built in 1646, the chapel was a substitute for its predecessor, which had been torn down when the town bastions were enlarged in 1629. As a building, St. George's chapel is unique in Lübeck since it has a Greek cross as ground-plan instead of the traditional patterns of church architecture. The separate wooden belfry, absolutely unusual in Northern Germany, is also an interesting feature. Parts of the furniture date from the 15th and 16th century. Lutheran service is celebrated each Sunday at 10:50a.
The Haus der Kaufmannschaft, or Merchants' Guild House, might seem unspectacular, yet it houses one of Lübeck's greatest treasures - the Fredenhagen Room. This splendid room, originally situated in a Merchant's residence, was created by Hans Dreger between 1572 and 1583. The marvelously carved Renaissance wall panels and cassette ceiling are unique in North Germany. More than 1000 figures, some of them made of alabaster and motifs from the Bible and Greco-Roman history. Also displayed in the house are the so-called Große Gemach, or Grand Room, a conference room with rich panels made by Tönnies Evers Junior in the years 1610-12. An appointment is necessary for visiting the Haus der Kaufmannschaft.
You can tell by the name of this place that the fishermen were once given living quarters outside the former harbor area. Small and narrow lanes can be found here - Glockengießergang (bell founder's lane) no.32, for example, got its name from Mr Stralborn's bell founders workshop which used to exist here in 1743. His son was honored with a special request in 1745 - he was asked to recast the large cathedral bell. Beer lovers might be interested in the fact that many of the houses were allowed to brew their own beer here in the Middle Ages.
The statue to commemorate this native Lübeck poet was erected in 1889. Pupils everywhere owe it to Emanuel Geibel (1815-1886) that sooner or later they must sing "Der Mai ist gekommen" (May has arrived)in school. In 1868, eighteen years before he died, Emanuel Geibel was masd a freeman of Lübeck. In 1936, however, the poor poet - or his statue rather - was moved from his original position at Koberg (changed into "Geibelplatz" in 1889) to a corner next to the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital. There are rumours, however, that he shall soon be moved back to his original position.
Nothing about the Puppenbrücke, or Dolls Bridge, is as old as it seems to be. The bridge itself is no older than 94 years, and that's young according to Lübeck's standards. In 1906, it replaced the old Puppenbrücke built in 1772, which couldn't take the growing traffic anymore. The eight limestone statues (made by sculptor Diedrich Jürgen Boy 1772-76), which provided the bridge's name, have adorned the new building ever since. Neptune was the victim of a falling phone pole in 1935, so its base remained empty until 1989. In that year, all the statues were removed from the bridge and brought to the inner yard of the St.-Annen-Museum as pollution from cars had made them crumble. Excellent copies by Paul-Heinrich Gnekow took their places, and a new Neptune was also erected, completing the ensemble again. By the way, the four vase-like items are how Jürgen Boy imagined beehives to be, and are mean t to be symbols of hard work.
The Galerie Koch-Westenhoff mainly presents 20th century works of art. You will find paintings and sculptures of various styles here. If you are looking for a particular piece the staff will assist you in tracing and purchasing the desired object. Nice little pieces of art for less demanding wallets are available, while there is no limit to the prices for really valuable objects in the upper price categories. Mondays visits by appointment only.