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barbarajoy | profile | all galleries >> Germany - 13 galleries >> Lübeck and Schwerin 2015 A Tale of Two Cities tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Lübeck and Schwerin 2015 A Tale of Two Cities

Two north German coastal cities, about an hour apart but quite different.

Lübeck, on the Baltic coast, the second largest city in Schleswig - Holstein, was the medieval capital of the powerful Hanseatic League, a trading confederation for over two centuries,1400 -1600, similar to the European Union today. One of the major trading ports of Germany, it is renowned for its brick Gothic architecture, recognised by UNESCO World Heritage listing in 1987.

.... the delicately crumbling past is the town's main draw - Lübeck's appeal lies as much in the side streets where houses lean at crazy angles as its architectural show stoppers." - Rough Guide

The Aldstadt, encircled by the River Trave was guarded by two fortress gates, Holstentor and Burgtor, still impressive today. We spent just two nights in this delightful city, strolling the compact Aldstadt and discovering superb churches with towering steeples, small cobbled streets, intriguing "gangs" or tiny lanes, a beautiful Rathous Markt with St Mary's Church nearby and a worthy history trade and charity. The waterfront with restored traditional sailing ships is a delight, as are the rows of fine merchants houses in Gothic brickwork.

Schwerin"Encircled by lakes and with a fairy-tale Schloss that goes straight to the head...." Rough Guide

This was our immediate impression of this delightful town in Germany's north which we visited for just an afternoon on our return from Luebeck to Berlin. Many features reminded us that although it had been part of East Germany, its history of culture, art, architecture and glamour went far back before that time. It is the capital of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and is the smallest state capital in Germany. We made our way along the path on the shores of one small lake, Pfaffenteich, with views towards the Altstadt and continued past the impressive Gothic Dom to the town square and Rathous, admiring decorative buildings, cafes and some half timbered shops, but hastening towards the main focus, the Schloss, surrounded by a romantic Burggarten on an island in the Schwerin See. This was the home of the Dukes of Mecklenberg for centuries and the ornate additions, in the mid 19th C, an indulgence of one, Duke Friedrich Franz II, creating a fantasy palace built in Dutch Renaissance style with turrets, onion domes and towers, gilt decoration and set in a romantic 19th C garden with a wrought iron orangerie.

There is so much more to see in this picture perfect town surrounded by lakes and waterways. The museums and art galleries house worthy collections of Dutch and Flemish masters and have given the town a reputation for art and culture. There is far more to the castle and its extensive gardens. We never had a chance to see the large Schlossgarten, linked to the Burggarten around the castle by a causeway.

We would like to return one day.



Lübeck, St Jacob's Church
Lübeck, St Jacob's Church
Lübeck, St Jacob's Church
Lübeck, St Jacob's Church
Detail on outside of St Jacob's Church
Detail on outside of St Jacob's Church
One of the naves in St Jacob's Church
One of the naves in St Jacob's Church
Memorial to sailors lost in the shipwreck of the Pamir in 1957.
Memorial to sailors lost in the shipwreck of the Pamir in 1957.
Model of the Pamir
Model of the Pamir
Lübeck, doorway to Shippers (Seafarers ) Guild 1535
Lübeck, doorway to Shippers (Seafarers ) Guild 1535
Crest on the front of the Shippers Guild
Crest on the front of the Shippers Guild
Lübeck, Hospital of the Holy Spirit  1260
Lübeck, Hospital of the Holy Spirit 1260
Lübeck, Museum Harbour, waterfront
Lübeck, Museum Harbour, waterfront
Museum Harbour waterfront
Museum Harbour waterfront
Lübeck River (2017 revisit)
Lübeck River (2017 revisit)
At anchor
At anchor
Lübeck, Holstentor, 15th C main fortress gate to the Altstadt
Lübeck, Holstentor, 15th C main fortress gate to the Altstadt
Lübeck Holstentor (2017 revisit)
Lübeck Holstentor (2017 revisit)
Lübeck, Former warehouses for salt, 17th/18th C
Lübeck, Former warehouses for salt, 17th/18th C
Old warehouses
Old warehouses
Lübeck, Burgtor or Castle Gate, with old castle monastery
Lübeck, Burgtor or Castle Gate, with old castle monastery
Lübeck, merchant's home, one of several, on Mengstrasse
Lübeck, merchant's home, one of several, on Mengstrasse
Lübeck, impressive building on market square
Lübeck, impressive building on market square
Lübeck, outside our hotel, Hotel zur alten Stadtmauer
Lübeck, outside our hotel, Hotel zur alten Stadtmauer
Lübeck, room, Hotel zur alten Stadtmauer
Lübeck, room, Hotel zur alten Stadtmauer
Lübeck, hotel breakfast room
Lübeck, hotel breakfast room
Lübeck, An der Mauer Strasse, outside the hotel
Lübeck, An der Mauer Strasse, outside the hotel
Lübeck, street view
Lübeck, street view
Lübeck, street view
Lübeck, street view
Lübeck, view of city from quiet lake off the River Trave
Lübeck, view of city from quiet lake off the River Trave
 Lübeck, lakeside park
Lübeck, lakeside park
Lübeck, lakeside park
Lübeck, lakeside park
Lübeck, St Mary's Church nave
Lübeck, St Mary's Church nave
Lübeck, broken bells of St Mary's Church
Lübeck, broken bells of St Mary's Church
Lübeck, Renaissance Stairs at Rathaus, 1594
Lübeck, Renaissance Stairs at Rathaus, 1594
Lübeck, cakes at Cafe Niederegger, with famous Marzipan Salon
Lübeck, cakes at Cafe Niederegger, with famous Marzipan Salon
Lübeck, old entry to one of the gangs or lanes
Lübeck, old entry to one of the "gangs" or lanes
Lübeck, window in the Rathaus (Town Hall)
Lübeck, window in the Rathaus (Town Hall)
Lübeck, beers on tap, Im Alten Zolln
Lübeck, beers on tap, Im Alten Zolln
Lübeck, diners at Im Alten Zolln
Lübeck, diners at Im Alten Zolln
Lübeck, oriel on the front of Rathaus
Lübeck, oriel on the front of Rathaus
Lübeck, twin spires of St Mary's Church
Lübeck, twin spires of St Mary's Church
Lübeck, on the quiet waterway around the city
Lübeck, on the quiet waterway around the city
Schwerin, view across Pfaffenteich
Schwerin, view across Pfaffenteich
Schwerin, view across Pfaffenteich
Schwerin, view across Pfaffenteich
Schwerin, along Pfaffenteich
Schwerin, along Pfaffenteich
Tourist
Tourist
Schwerin Cathedral
Schwerin Cathedral
Schwerin, Rathaus door
Schwerin, Rathaus door
Schwerin, Galerie Alte & Neues Meister
Schwerin, Galerie Alte & Neues Meister
Schwerin Schloss
Schwerin Schloss
Schwerin Schloss, architectural detail
Schwerin Schloss, architectural detail
Schwerin Schloss, detail of architectural decor
Schwerin Schloss, detail of architectural decor
Schwerin  Schloss, grand gilt dome
Schwerin Schloss, grand gilt dome
Raised colonnaded walkway around the small garden
Raised colonnaded walkway around the small garden
Detail of gilt statue on the walkway
Detail of gilt statue on the walkway
Schwerin, Staatstheater
Schwerin, Staatstheater
Schwerin, View through  window of Schwerinsee
Schwerin, View through "window" of Schwerinsee
Schwerin Schloss 2017
Schwerin Schloss 2017
The Orangery, Schwerin Schloss 2017
The Orangery, Schwerin Schloss 2017
Schwerin's Lake Pfaffenteich  2017
Schwerin's Lake Pfaffenteich 2017
Schlossgarten, Schwerin  2017
Schlossgarten, Schwerin 2017
Schlossgarten, Schwerin 2017
Schlossgarten, Schwerin 2017
Schwerin Cathedral, interior
Schwerin Cathedral, interior
Schwerin Cathedral, interior
Schwerin Cathedral, interior
Schwerin Cathedral, Triumphal Cross
Schwerin Cathedral, Triumphal Cross