Leisure

Explore Lübeck

The Hanseatic city of Lübeck is situated around 15 kilometres inland on the river Trave. Founded in 1143 by Adolf von Schauenburg and given a new lease of life by Henry the Lion in 1157, Lübeck was declared an Imperial Free City in 1226 by Emperor Frederick II. As a centre of the medieval Hanseatic league which dominated Baltic and North sea trade, the city became rich and powerful. Today, Lübeck is a tourist magnet in the North. The Hanseatic city's enclosed centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Sight in 1987. This is hardly surprising as the old town, which is surrounded by water and its 1,800 protected buildings, are unique and a tour through Lübeck's historic streets, alleys and courtyards an absolute must and an unforgettable experience for all Travemünde visitors. However, Lübeck's beautiful old town is not only a historic monument but also the centre of a very lively big city with more than 200,000 inhabitants which confidently claims the title, "Cultural capital of the North."

Lübeck is also proud of its three Noble Prizewinners: the city is the home of Thomas Mann (1875-1955, Nobel Prize for Literature 1929), Willy Brandt (1913-1992, Nobel Peace Prize 1971) and Günter Grass (born 1927, Nobel Prize for Literature 1999). Today, the Lübeck Literature Museum "Buddenbrookhaus" attracts Mann experts and followers from all over the world. The Günter-Grass-Haus, in which the writer had a writing studio, as well as the Willy-Brandt-Haus which opened at the end of 2007, are both fascinating exhibition as well as inspiring research sites. In 2015 the European Hanse Museum opened which takes visitors through 600 years of Hanse history – here history is brought to life and becomes a unique experience.

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