Sightseeing in Lubeck - what to see. Complete travel guide

Lubeck is a port city located on the north coast of Germany in Schleswig-Holstein land. The Trave River flows near the city. As a Baltic port which had had an advantageous geographical location, Lubeck grew rapidly during the Medieval. The city was founded in the XI century, when it was built on place of the Slavic fortress. In different times Lubeck was a free imperial city, and the principal city of the Hanseatic League.

Lubeck is situated in the northern part of the country, so the city hasn’t had an opportunity to build houses, churches and cathedrals made of limestone. This material was very popular due to fashion trends in the gothic architecture. However, the local masters found the solution – they used simple bricks in the building of Gothic facades and arches. Because of this fact nowadays tourists can see great examples of the Gothic art and enjoy amazing looks of the buildings constructed in the Medieval. Among such buildings are Lubeck Cathedral, the Hospital of the Holy Spirit, Town Hall with a raised carved facade, the church of St. Peter, and many other sights.

Old Lubeck is easily identified among modern buildings because this part of city is built using red bricks. Old town or the Altstadt is situated on the island that can be reached on two old bridges - Holstenstor and Burgtor. Among the attractions of this place tourists may like many churches. The most famous of them are the Church of St. Mary and the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral, the House of Buddenbrooks (this house is also the home of writers Thomas and Heinrich Mann), the Museum of St. Anne, the Museum of History of Marzipan, the Museum of Arts and History of Culture, museum of theater puppets, and many other places of interest. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In the historical district of Lübeck, there is a very beautiful building – the Lion Pharmacy. It was built in the middle of the 13th century and was originally used as a private residence. In 1812, a pharmacy was opened in the historic building. One of the main features of this building is the preserved gothic pediment, adorned with the gilded figure of a lion. It is this architectural feature that gave an unusual name to the construction.

Another interesting historical symbol is the building of the brotherhood of sailors. It can also be seen during a walk in the historic district. In 1401, the Guild of Seamen was founded in Lübeck. This became a very important event for the public life of the city. At the beginning of the 16th century, a large building was constructed for the guild. The most important events and meetings subsequently took place here. This building was badly damaged during the Second World War. It was completely restored only in the 1970s. Now, in the historical building is an interesting museum. In it, very beautiful furnish from natural wood was produced. Its visitors will be able to see beautiful models of old ships, preserved interior decorations of the building, as well as historical documents.

Among the outstanding religious sites is the St. Anne’s Monastery. The construction lasted 13 years and was completed in 1515. This beautiful monastery lasted for only a short time, as it was closed in 1532. For a long time its large-scale building was empty. At the beginning of the 17th century, it was equipped with a shelter, for beggars. Later, part of the historical buildings was occupied by a prison. In 1915, the dilapidated building of the monastery was restored and a museum was opened in it. Now, it contains a very interesting collection of works of art, many of which date back to the Middle Ages.

Part of the old Franciscan monastery is the preserved St. Catherine’s Church, built in the middle of the 14th century. The main building material for the construction of the church was red bricks. The building is considered a vivid example of the Gothic style. Already in the 15th century, the appearance in the church changed greatly. It irretrievably lost many of the original elements of its design. Today, visitors can admire the high Gothic windows, as well as the ceramic sculptures preserved in the walls of the church, which were installed here in the Middle Ages.