Sights in Lübeck

Große Petersgrube

If youd like to travel through time by seeing architecture from the 14th to the 20th century without missing a style...the best place to do so would be the Große Petersgrube. Without any boring ordinary faces, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classic and Modern Age facades line the street, creating an extremely charming view. The rich patrician families once lived here, building their houses in a unique combination of understatement and representation. If you ignore the example created in the 20th century - a frightening garage complex - the buildings from so many centuries more..

type:	general
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address:	Altstadt

Rathaus

When standing on the Markt square, the Town Hall is withount any doubt a very impressive building, even though (or maybe because?) generation by generation has added new parts in the most up-to-date style of their time over the centuries. The northern building, with its two striking holes in the face, dates from 1230 and is the centre, the original Town Hall. However, the holes were broken into the walls before 1425 to give the strong winds of north Germany less surface to attack. As early as 1298, the Town Hall appeared too tiny to to the city's heads and so the "Long House" was more..

type:	general
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tel.:	+49 451 122 41 29
address:	Breite Straße 62, Altstadt

Schloss Rantzau

This building used to belong to the Dom. In 1804, the last canon and Prussian chamberlain Franz Ludwig Freeman von Höveln gave it to the city of Lübeck. Kuno von Rantzau-Breitenburg purchased it in 1858, and intended to change the building into one with an emphasis on the gothic style. He had his workers build a neo-gothic urban palace, leaving the original 15th century gothic gable at the back of the building. The building is a unique example of neogothic architecture in Lübeck, and served many purposes over the years ' it was a military hospital, a school of commerce for more..

type:	Castles
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address:	Parade 1, Altstadt

Teufel von St. Marien

When many centuries ago St. Mary's was built, the Devil noticed the construction site. Being curious, he asked the architect what kind of building was in progress, and the architect - who liked the idea of misleading the Devil - answered: 'A big inn!? That pleased the Lord of darkness, because plenty of sinning was done in inns. So he helped the building with his devilish powers. After some time, he got suspicious when the walls were growing higher and higher. He talked to a little boy who told him the truth. The Devil became furious and threw the block of stone he carried in the more..

type:	general
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address:	Marienkirchhof, Altstadt

Salzspeicher

The Salzspeichers, or salt warehouses, stand right next to the Holstenbrücke bridge, forming a marked line of six former warehouses. They are the last remains of a type of trade which meant big business in Lübeck for centuries - the salt trade. Year by year countless wagon loads of salt travelled to Lübeck to be sold to Scandinavia and the Baltic countries from Lüneberg's salt works. Demand was gigantic, since in a time when no artificial refrigeration existed, salt was vital for preserving the huge quantities of fish exported to all European countries. On its way from more..

type:	Palaces
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address:	An der Obertrave / Holstenstraße

Kaisertor

Even with most residents of Lübeck the name 'Kaisertor? doesn't ring a bell. It is half buried in the bastions and hidden under trees, this is the least striking, least impressive and least known of Lübeck´s three remaining town gates. When was it built? No document tells us. And - even more importantly - why was it built at all? The Mühlentor was only 100 metres away. The Kaisertor presumably dates from around 1290, and the Bishop of Lübeck may have ordered it. It is possible that he wanted to demonstrate his independence from the city by having an entrance to the cathedral more..

type:	general
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address:	Wallstraße, Altstadt

Glandorpshof / Glandorpsgang

When walking through the Old Town streets, one will soon recognise the passages in the house fronts, some very narrow and low, some rather large, all looking a bit like tunnels. Following them leads into the world of corridors and yards typical for Lübeck. In past centuries, the small free spaces between or behind the high, slim gable houses were used to erect modest residential buildings. So, as time went by, a picturesque maze of corridors, which were difficult to survey, emerged in some blocks, and many of them still exist today.

One of the most beautiful examples is more..

type:	Streets
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address:	Glockengießerstraße 41-53, Altstadt

Burgtor

There are streets named after the German word for castle (Burg), a former monastery, even an old town gate - but where is the castle itself? It's no use searching for it - the castle disappeared as early as in 1225. Danish soldiers controlled occupied Lübeck from their fortress for 23 years and when they left, the Lübeckers tore down the castle - except for the gate which now served as the northern town gate. Around the Danish centre, a Romanesque building was erected, and in 1444 it was given the Gothic face we can see today. Only the roof seems a bit unusual because of the more..

Holstentor

a useful introduction to the city and Hanseatic history. On the waterfront to the right of the Holstentor is a row of lovely gabled buildings – the Salzspeicher (salt warehouses).

Stadtpark

The city park is a place to relax in, or to take a walk and fill your lungs with oxygen. Everything is quiet and pleasantly to look at. In good weather the greens with the little ponds and tall trees are an ideal location for a quick nap or sunbathing during the lunch break. Or how about a little picnic? Moreover, there is an impressive variety of different local and exotic trees. Around the park you can find residential houses and small villas with remarkable facades.

Der Schulgarten

Lübeck's botanical garden is located very near the river Wakenitz and has 15,000 summer flowers. There are herbs and economically useful plants as well as ornamental plants and wild flowers in this romantic park. Various theme gardens have been arranged, among them 'Heather’, 'The Alps’, 'In the Fields’ and 'In Forests’. Moreover, there is a showroom with Mediterranean plants and flowers which are susceptible to frost. The lavishly overgrown park invites you to take a break and enjoy the scenery. The "Café Bali's" open-air terrace is open during summer months.

Linde´sche Villa

In 1804, the architect Christian Lillie built this house in the classic style. The eye specialist Max Linde bought the property and the 33,000 square metre park which belongs to it in 1897. The new owner decorated the house and garden with valuable artworks and invited important guests.

But an economical crisis and inflation forced him to sell the better part of his art collection and the park. He and his family had to move into the attic flat in order to let the ground floor to other people. In 1964, the private property was sold, and after long and expensive renovation you more..