Exploring Lubeck

This “specific nest”, as Lubeck was described by its most famous resident, Thomas Mann, is well worth a visit. The most important town in the Baltic basin by the end of the Middle Ages, it is now a magnet for fans of Backsteingotik, Gothic brick architecture which has been elevated to a national style. In Lubeck it is easy to see why: church interiors, the facades of buildings, the city gates, the unique town hall and even the Medieval hospital resemble pictures from an illustrated history of architecture brought to life. Despite a few blunders, the city has been beautifully rebuilt after World War II and enjoys a positive revival.

Buddenbrookhaus: This beautiful Gothic building was once the home of Nobelprize-winning author Thomas Mann’s grandparents. It is now a museum dedicated to the Mann family.

Rathaus: Germany’s most famous brick town hall, dating from 1226, has unusual walls and turrets.

Marienkirche: St Mary’s Church, larger than the cathedral and situated behind the town hall, holds great art treasures.

Holstentor: This gate, once the only entrance into Lübeck, was built by Hinrich Helmstede in the years 1466–78, based on Flemish designs. It has become the emblem of the town.

Petrikirche: The church of St Peter, from the first half of the 14th century, is L・eck’s only five-naved church.

View of the Town: Lübeck and its seven towers can be seen from afar. Virtually all the tourist attractions are in the old town, which is enclosed by the river Trave and its channels.

Herz-Jesu-Kirche: This 19th-century Catholic church houses a memorial to four clergymen who were executed during the Third Reich for their opposition to the war.

St Anne’s Museum: This museum, housed inside an Augustinian convent, portrays life and culture in 13th–18thcentury Lubeck.

Dom

The cathedral, begun in 1173 at the time of Henry the Lion and completed in 1230, is 130 m (426 ft) long.

STAR SIGHTS

. Marienkirche

. Dom