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Kiel is a northern German port city is located on the Baltic Sea coast, and shipping has therefore always been a natural focal point for development in the city, which is also the capital of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Kiel has not always been German, but part of Holstein, which lies on the border with Denmark, and which until 1864 formed part of the Danish sovereign state.
Kiel was founded in 1233 by the Holstein count Adolf IV, and the city was a member of the Hanseatic League 1284-1518. Kiel flourished again in the 19th century, when the railway between Kiel and Altona opened as the first in Denmark, and when the Kiel Canal opened for ship traffic in 1895. A good 20 years later, the city entered the history books with the Sailors’ Revolt in 1918, which led to the German Revolution same year.
The maritime scene continues to be very busy in Kiel, and the city is famous for the racing and festivities during the Kieler Woche, one of the world’s largest sailing events. You can also enjoy the atmosphere along the waterfront and visit the Kiel Maritime Museum. In the suburb of Laboe by the Kieler Fjord, you can visit the submarine U-995 from World War II and see the memorial monument to sailors who lost their lives at sea.
The Nikolaikirche from the 13th century stands in the center of Kiel as one of the city’s old architectural landmarks. The church stands at the square Alter Markt, which is the historic center of the old town. Close to this is the Rathausplatz with the city’s large new town hall and Kiel’s opera house. You can also visit the city’s two botanical gardens, see the Kiel Canal and enjoy a trip to the nearby beaches, which are very popular in the summer.
The Alte Markt is Kiel’s historic square, and it has served as the city center since the Middle Ages. The town hall was located here in the old days, and the square was the meeting point for trade, markets and the city’s social life. Today, the square is surrounded by a mix of restored buildings and newer architecture, reflecting the city’s reconstruction after the destruction of World War II.
The Alte Markt is still a place where you can feel the atmosphere of Kiel up close. Here you will find cafes, restaurants and small shops, making the square a natural meeting place for both locals and tourists. In summer, the square is filled with outdoor seating, while the Christmas market in December transforms it into a festively illuminated center. The square is also a starting point for several walks through the old town.
The Nikolaikirche, named after the patron saint of sailors, Saint Nicholas, is Kiel’s oldest surviving building and dates back to the 13th century. The church was built in the Gothic style and has undergone several reconstructions and restorations over time, not least after the extensive destruction during the Second World War. Nikolaikirche still functions as an active parish church and is often the setting for musical events, exhibitions and cultural events.
Inside, Nikolaikirche contains a mixture of historical and modern elements. One of the church’s most notable works of art is the large bronze sculpture Geistkämpfer by Ernst Barlach, which stands in front of the main entrance. Inside the church you can experience beautiful stained glass windows, a magnificent altarpiece and an impressive organ, which is used for both church services and concerts.
Kiel Week is not a sight built of stone, but rather an event. It is the world’s largest sailing festival and one of Kiel’s absolute prides. Every year at the end of June, the city is transformed into a maritime party center with thousands of sailors from all over the world, and the harbor is filled with everything from modern racing boats to impressive vintage ships. The festival has been held since 1882 and is today a combination of sporting competition and folk festival.
During the festival, the whole city is in motion. Along the quay, you will find food stalls, music stages, crafts and entertainment for all ages. Dramatic regattas take place on the water, and in the evening the sky is lit up by colorful fireworks. It is a week where everyone experiences Kiel from its most lively side, and where maritime culture is the focal point. For sailors, Kiel Week is an opportunity to compete with some of the world’s best, and for spectators, it’s a chance to feel the wind, hear the waves and experience the sea as a living stage.
Kunsthalle zu Kiel is the city’s leading art museum and houses an extensive collection of works from the 19th century to the present day. Built in the early 20th century, the museum combines elements of Art Nouveau and Classicism, giving the building a monumental appearance.
Inside the museum, you can experience everything from romantic landscape paintings and impressionist works to modern art installations. The collection includes both German and international artists, and the emphasis is on showing the development of art through changing styles and periods. A sculpture park at the museum also offers an outdoor art experience, where the works enter into a dialogue with nature.
Kieler Rathaus is one of the city’s most striking buildings. It was built between 1907 and 1911 and is particularly known for its 106-meter-high tower, inspired by the Campanile tower in Venice, Italy. The tower can be clearly seen from large parts of the city. The building’s Art Nouveau style combined with impressive proportions make it a symbol of Kiel’s development at the beginning of the 20th century.
Inside, visitors are greeted by elegant halls, beautiful staircases and a paternoster elevator, which is still in use today. A guided tour provides the opportunity to hear the story of the construction of the town hall, its architects and the role it has played in the life of the city for more than a century. One of the biggest attractions is the viewing platform in the tower, which is reached by elevator and stairs. From here, you have a magnificent panoramic view of the city’s rooftops, the fjord and the harbor.
The Kiel Canal, known in German as the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, is a technological marvel that connects the Baltic Sea with the North Sea. The 98-kilometer-long waterway was opened in 1895 and is today one of the world’s busiest artificial canals. It plays a huge role in international shipping because it saves many ships the much longer journey via the Skagerrak.
At the Holtenau Locks, you can get right up close to the pulse of the canal. Here you can watch large container ships and elegant cruise ships being raised or lowered on their journey through the canal. The area also offers viewing platforms and information boards that explain the function and history of the lock system. There are paths along the canal that invite you to cycle or walk. Here you can follow the ships up close as they glide silently past through the flat landscape.
The Marine Memorial in Laboe, located just outside Kiel, is a monument dedicated to sailors from all over the world who have lost their lives at sea. It was built in the 1930s and consists of a 72-meter-high tower that symbolizes a ship’s bow and can be seen from afar. The monument was later renamed and reinterpreted as a symbol of peace that transcends national boundaries.
From the tower’s viewing platform, there is a breathtaking view of the Baltic Sea, the Kiel coast and the surrounding countryside. Inside the monument is a memorial hall with names and plaques and exhibitions that tell the story of maritime history, wars at sea and the human cost of life at sea.
Right next to the monument is the submarine U-995, a preserved German Type VII submarine from World War II. Here you can move through the narrow corridors and see engine rooms, torpedo tubes and crew areas, which gives a unique insight into life underwater during the war. The combination of the memorial and the submarine makes the place an exciting experience.
Flensburg is the northernmost major city in Germany, and with a location a few kilometers from Denmark, its history is influenced by the border region of Schleswig. Flensburg was founded by Danish settlers, and it quickly became one of Schleswig’s most important towns, not least due to a significant herring fishery. Later, the city boomed through, among other things, import and refining of sugar cane from the Danish West Indies.
For centuries, Flensburg was the second largest city in Denmark, but that stopped when Flensburg became German in 1864. After the German defeat in World War I, votes were held in Schleswig on whether to belong to Denmark or Germany, and Flensburg remained German. In 1945, the city became known for the Flensburg government, which with Karl Dönitz as Reich President briefly ruled the Third Reich from Flensburg.
Lübeck was the queen of the Baltic Sea Region’s Hanseatic cities. It still is, and that is not without reason. Majestic churches and countless houses, monasteries and other medieval buildings stand as evidence of the immense wealth that came to the city over the centuries with trade routes.
The old town of Lübeck is located on an island in the Trave River, which provides a natural boundary for this part of the city where everything is within walking distance. In addition, the river and its banks are like a blue-green belt around the city, which can be enjoyed in many places, for example on a river boat, where you sail the Trave around the center of Lübeck.
Hamburg, with more than two million inhabitants, is Germany’s second largest city and the absolute metropolis of northern Germany. Its wealth has been created over the centuries as a successful member of the Hanseatic League, where Hamburg grew large as a port city, and to this day the maritime element is a continuing source of trade and tourism.
Hamburg is one of Central Europe’s great gates to the world. The trade has gone through the city for centuries, which now has lovely business districts, markets and lots of sights. Life around the harbor has been greatly developed in recent years, with the historic warehouses of Speicherstart being transformed into activities, offices and with housing and cultural institutions blended beautifully into the old settings.
Kiel, Germany
Overview of Kiel
Potsdam is the capital of the state of Brandenburg and one of Germany’s most beautiful baroque cities. With a history of over 1000 years, there are naturally many sights. Potsdam is a former royal residence, and from this time there are beautiful palaces and buildings of great historical interest. It was also here that the Potsdam Conference was held in connection with the end of the Second World War.
About the Kiel travel guide
Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
Published: Released soon
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.com
Language: English
About the travel guide
The Kiel travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the German city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.
Kiel is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.
Read more about Kiel and Germany
France Travel Guide: vamados.com/germany
City tourism: visitki-el.de
Main Page: https://www.vamados.com/
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