Explorations of a well preserved city financed by salt.
Lüneberg is located in northern Germany, a bit south if Hamburg. It’s a small city with some really adorable buildings in its historic center. No need to reconstruct anything. The bombs of WWII were mainly focused on the train station and factories on the edge of town. However, Lüneberg was in still in rough shape. Thankfully, the locals fought back against the plan to level the historic center and rebuild it with modern buildings. The city has been in active restoration since the 1970s.
Like many other cities in the area, Lüneberg was a member of the Hanseatic League, a medieval commercial and defensive network that dominated trade of the Baltic Sea. Hanseatic cities tended to be on the coast or with direct river access. Lüneberg, however, is located up a tributary that eventually meets the Elbe River, which runs through Hamburg into the North Sea. But Lüneberg had something everyone needed at the time, salt. Fishing was a big business in the medieval era and the only way to preserve the fish so it makes it to market is salt. Salt mine continued until 1980, but the salt trade waned in the 16th century. Less fish due to over fishing equals less need for salt. This left the historic center of Lüneberg with few renovations after 1600. Unfortunately, salt mining underneath the town has left issues with subsistence where the ground above is sinking.
Wandering Jana The Ratsmühle, a former mill built in 1597. The water tower (brick tower on the right) was built about two decades earlier.
Wandering Jana That building might be a bit wonky.
Wandering Jana Very cute.
Wandering Jana Kalandhaus, which was restored around 1900.
Wandering Jana Heading towards Lüneberg biggest sight.
Wandering Jana The Abtsmühle, a former warehouse or something near the river front. Judging by the name, an abbey used to have a mill here.
Wandering Jana A tower and gate going over one of the bridges of the harbor. I can’t find anything specifically on this tower.
Wandering Jana All I could make out from the white part on the previous picture is that it is possibly 17th century (even though that seems late for the style). Definitely restored in 1903-4.
Wandering Jana The harbor of Lüneberg.
Wandering Jana It’s full of restaurants and bars today.
Wandering Jana And quite a few adorable buildings.
Wandering Jana There’s that tower again.
Wandering Jana Very cute.
Wandering Jana The fish market used to be right here next to the river.
Wandering Jana Too much cute.
Wandering Jana There even is this crane thing.
Wandering Jana Building from 1593. The rounded windows with the rippled brick seem to be a local style.
Wandering Jana Narrow streets.
Wandering Jana The top floors would have been used for storage.
Wandering Jana A very cute house on a very narrow road.
Wandering Jana The medieval town hall which a Baroque update. There aren’t many Baroque facades in town.
Wandering Jana A series of awesome buildings behind the town hall.
Wandering Jana Gorgeous building.
Wandering Jana Das Schwangere Haus (the Pregnant House). I guess it’s a fitting name. I love that this is marked on Google Maps.
Wandering Jana Heading into a mainly residential area.
Wandering Jana Just so freaking adorable.
Wandering Jana I wasn’t the only one fawning over these two houses.
Wandering Jana This style is very similar to Neo-Gothic that was big in England in the 19th century. Although, not this house. It’s from 1516 (I love it when people put dates on their houses.)
Wandering Jana So much cute.
Wandering Jana Another over the top half-timbered house.
Wandering Jana Found a church, St.-Michaelis-Kirche, once part of a monastery turned school.
Wandering Jana Johann Sebastian Bach graduated from the St. Michael’s School.
Wandering Jana The crypt. I love it.
Wandering Jana This town is too much cute.
Wandering Jana Shopping streets tend to have a mixture of very old, old and modern buildings. It’s amazing how many buildings survived.
Wandering Jana Am Sande, the main town square.
Wandering Jana Ooooo, I like this one.
Wandering Jana The top portion of this building is from 1553.
Wandering Jana Soooo many gables.
Wandering Jana Die Alte Raths-Apotheke, still an active pharmacy.
Lüneberg absolutely surprised me. It looked like a cute city to check out while I was in nearby Hamburg. I never expected it to be so well preserved. It’s a rarity in Germany to have a city of this size that wasn’t carpet bombed to oblivion. Not seen here is the Salt Museum, which is closed on Mondays, the day I visited.
Check out my next update where I explore Hamburg!
or
Start at the beginning of this European adventure!
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