Lübeck facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lübeck Lübęk / Lübeek  (Low German)
City
Clockwise from top: Lübeck skyline with St James', St Mary's and St Peter's; St Mary's Church detail; "Painters' Corner" with St Mary's and St Peter's; Lübeck Cathedral at dusk; view of Travemünde with Maritim high-rise; Lübeck Cathedral; Salzspeicher; Holsten Gate
Flag Coat of arms
Lübeck Location in Germany Show map of Germany Lübeck Location in Schleswig-Holstein Show map of Schleswig-Holstein
Country	Germany
State	Schleswig-Holstein
District	Urban district
Subdivisions	35 Stadtbezirke
Area
• Total	214.13 km2 (82.68 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	218,095
• Density	1,018.517/km2 (2,637.95/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	23501−23570
Dialling codes	0451, 04502
Vehicle registration	HL
Website	www.luebeck.de

Hanseatic City of Lübeck

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Aerial view of the old town
Criteria	Cultural: iv
Inscription	1987 (11th Session)
Area	81.1 ha (200 acres)
Buffer zone	693.8 ha (1,714 acres)

Lübeck is a famous city in Northern Germany. It's officially called the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. With about 220,000 people, it's the second-largest city on Germany's Baltic Sea coast. It's also the second-largest city in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, after Kiel.

The city is located in Schleswig-Holstein, where the Trave River meets the Bay of Lübeck. This bay is part of the Baltic Sea. Lübeck is the closest city to the Baltic Sea from Hamburg. Its name comes from a Slavic word meaning "love."

Lübeck was founded by Slavic people around 819. It became a very important trading city. In the 12th century, it helped start the Hanseatic League, a powerful group of trading cities. Lübeck was like the capital of this league. Many other cities in the Baltic region used Lübeck's laws for trade. Lübeck stayed an independent city until 1937.

Lübeck's old town is on an island and is a huge UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's known as the "City of the Seven Towers" because of its tall church spires. These towers belong to five main churches: St Mary's, Lübeck Cathedral, St James', St Peter's, and St Giles's. St Mary's Church is a model for many other Brick Gothic churches in the area.

Lübeck has universities, including the University of Lübeck. It also has 18 museums, like the European Hansemuseum and the Niederegger Marzipan Museum. The city is famous for its delicious Lübeck Marzipan. Nearby seaside towns like Travemünde are popular tourist spots.

Lübeck's main train station connects Europe to Scandinavia. Its port is the second-largest German port on the Baltic Sea. The Skandinavienkai in Travemünde is a major ferry port. Lübeck also has its own regional airport.

A Look at Lübeck's Past

People have lived in the Lübeck area since the last Ice Age, around 9700 BCE. You can find ancient stone tombs called dolmens here.

Around 700 AD, Slavic people moved into eastern Holstein. They founded a settlement called Liubice (meaning "lovely") near the Trave River. In the 10th century, Liubice became a very important Slavic town with a castle. However, in 1128, it was destroyed.

In 1143, Adolf II of Holstein started the modern German town of Lübeck on a river island. He built a new castle. In 1158, Henry the Lion took over the castle. After Henry lost power in 1181, Lübeck became an independent city for eight years.

Emperor Barbarossa decided the city should have a council of 20 members. This council, mostly made up of merchants, guided Lübeck's trade for centuries. The city changed hands a few times, belonging to different dukes and even Denmark, until 1227.

Lübeck and the Hanseatic League

Lübeck as illustrated in the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493

Around 1200, Lübeck's port became a key place for people moving to new lands around the Baltic Sea. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II made Lübeck a free city. This meant it was independent and ruled itself.

In the 14th century, Lübeck became known as the "Queen of the Hanseatic League". It was the biggest and most powerful city in this trading group. In 1375, Emperor Charles IV called Lübeck one of the five "Glories of the Empire."

Lübeck and the Hanseatic League had conflicts with Denmark and Norway over trade. Lübeck won some of these fights but lost others, like the "Count's Feud" in Denmark (1534–1536). Lübeck also joined a group that supported the Protestant Reformation.

A Time of Change

After its defeat in the Count's Feud, Lübeck's power slowly decreased. The city stayed neutral during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). This long war and new trade routes across the Atlantic Ocean caused the Hanseatic League to become less important. Even so, Lübeck remained a key trading city on the Baltic Sea.

During the Napoleonic Wars, French troops occupied Lübeck in 1806. This happened after a battle where a Prussian general used the city as a fortress, breaking Lübeck's neutrality. In 1811, France officially took over Lübeck. But in 1813, allies against Napoleon freed the city.

After Napoleon's defeat, Lübeck became an independent free city again in 1815. It joined different German groups, like the German Confederation and later the German Empire.

Entry of the Fusilier battalion on June 18, 1871, in Lübeck

During the Franco-Prussian War, Lübeck's soldiers fought bravely. One famous moment was at the Battle of Loigny–Poupry in 1870. The commander told the soldiers to remember the "bravery of the Hanseatic League." Their attack surprised the French, who fled. This battle became an important story for Lübeck's military history.

Lübeck in the 20th Century

After World War I, Lübeck became part of the Weimar Republic. When the Nazis came to power, Lübeck, like other German states, lost its independence. In 1937, Lübeck became part of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. This ended its 711-year history as an independent free city.

During World War II, Lübeck was the first German city to be heavily bombed by the British Royal Air Force. On March 28, 1942, a firestorm destroyed much of the historic center. Three main churches and many houses were badly damaged. Over 320 people died. In total, nearly 20% of the city center was destroyed.

On May 3, 1945, a sad event happened in the Bay of Lübeck. RAF bombers sank three ships that were secretly full of concentration camp prisoners. About 7,000 people died.

After World War II, Lübeck's population grew a lot. Many German refugees from former eastern areas came to live there. Lübeck became part of West Germany. It was right on the border with East Germany during the Cold War. The city spent decades rebuilding its historic center. In 1987, UNESCO made the old town a World Heritage Site.

In April 2015, Lübeck hosted the G7 conference, bringing together leaders from major world economies.

Lübeck's Weather

Lübeck has an oceanic climate, which means it has mild temperatures. Summers are generally warm, and winters are cool but not usually extremely cold. The city gets a fair amount of rain throughout the year.

Who Lives in Lübeck?

Lübeck has about 217,000 people. It's the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein. Lübeck grew a lot after joining the Hanseatic League in the 15th century. It became one of Europe's most important Hanseatic cities.

After World War II, Lübeck's population increased quickly. Many refugees from former German areas in the east moved there. The population dropped in the 1970s but grew again in the 1990s. This was after German Reunification, as people from former East Germany came to Lübeck.

Today, Lübeck attracts many tourists. They come to see its rich history and Hanseatic buildings. It's known as one of Germany's most beautiful cities.

Lübeck is home to many different groups of people. The largest minority groups include Turks, Poles, Greeks, Italians, Russians, Ukrainians, and Arabs.

Rank	Nationality	Population (31 Dec. 2022)
1.	Turkey	4,500
2.	Ukraine	2,867
3	Poland	2,496
4	Syria	2,363
5	Croatia	1,425
6	Italy	1,237
7	Afghanistan	1,024
8	Greece	971
9	Portugal	956
10	Bulgaria	724

Lübeck's Culture and Attractions

Hospital of the Holy Spirit, one of the oldest social institutions of Lübeck (1260)

City hall

St. Mary's Church

Lübeck Cathedral and historic buildings at the Obertrave

Salzspeicher

Lübeck, Trave

Visiting Lübeck: Top Sights

In 2019, Lübeck had 2 million overnight stays by visitors. The city is famous for its medieval center. This includes its churches, the Holstentor gate, and narrow streets. Lübeck is called "Die Stadt der 7 Türme" (the city of seven towers) because of its tall church spires. Like many German cities, Lübeck has a popular Christmas market in December. It features a special handicrafts market inside the historic Heiligen-Geist-Hospital.

Historic Buildings to Explore

More than 80% of Lübeck's old town still looks medieval. It has historic buildings and narrow streets. The rest of the town is being restored. In the past, you could only enter the city through four gates. Two of these gates still stand today: the famous Holstentor (built in 1478) and the Burgtor (built in 1444).

The old town center is dominated by seven church towers. The oldest churches are Lübeck Cathedral and the Marienkirche (Saint Mary's). Both were built in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The Hospital of the Holy Spirit, built in 1286, is one of the oldest social institutions in the world. It still works as a retirement and nursing home today. You can visit some of its historical parts.

Other interesting places to see include:

• The City Hall
• St. Catherine's Church, which used to be a monastery church
• The houses of famous writers Thomas Mann and Günter Grass
• Church of St Peter
• Church of St Lawrence, built on a cemetery site
• Church of St James, built in 1334
• Church of the Sacred Heart
• Church of St Aegidien
• The Salzspeicher, old warehouses where salt was stored
• The city of Travemünde on the Baltic Sea coast.

Music, Books, and Art in Lübeck

The composer Franz Tunder was a main organist at the Marienkirche, Lübeck. He started the tradition of weekly Abendmusiken (evening concerts). Later, Dieterich Buxtehude, another famous composer, became the organist. Composers like Handel and Bach traveled to Lübeck to hear him play.

Thomas Mann, a writer who won the Nobel Prize, came from a family of Lübeck merchants. His famous novel Buddenbrooks (1901) showed readers what life was like for wealthy families in 19th-century Lübeck.

Lübeck was also part of an art scandal in the 1950s. An artist named Lothar Malskat was hired to restore old paintings in the Marienkirche. Instead, he painted new ones and pretended they were old. He later admitted his trick. The writer Günter Grass wrote about this incident in his novel The Rat. Grass lived near Lübeck for many years.

Lübeck's Museums

Lübeck has many museums. These include the St. Anne's Museum Quarter, Lübeck, the Behnhaus, the European Hansemuseum, and the Holstentor Museum. The Lübeck Museum of Theatre Puppets is a private museum. You can also see a historic lightvessel and a replica of a 15th-century Hanseatic ship called the Lisa von Lübeck.

The marzipan museum is on the second floor of Café Niederegger. It tells the story of marzipan and shows old molds. You can also see historical figures made from marzipan.

Food and Drink in Lübeck

Niederegger marzipan

Lübeck is very famous for its marzipan. Some say marzipan was first made here during a siege or famine. The story goes that the city ran out of food except for almonds and sugar. So, they made marzipan "bread." Others believe marzipan came from Persia much earlier. The most famous marzipan maker in Lübeck is Niederegger. Tourists often visit their shop, especially around Christmas.

Lübeck also has a long history of wine trade. A special Lübeck wine is called Rotspon. It's made from grapes grown and fermented in France. Then, it's brought to Lübeck in wooden barrels to be stored, aged, and bottled.

Like other cities on the North German coast, Fischbrötchen (fish sandwiches) and Brathering (fried herring) are popular snacks. This is because there are many types of fish available.

Sports in Lübeck

Lübeck is home to the VfB Lübeck football club. They play at the Stadion Lohmühle, which can hold over 17,000 fans. Besides football, the club also has teams for badminton, gymnastics, handball, and table tennis.

Learning in Lübeck

The Lübeck Academy of Music

Lübeck has three universities: the University of Lübeck, the Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck, and the Lübeck Academy of Music. The Graduate School for Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences is a special part of the university. The International School of New Media is also connected to the university.

Lübeck's Neighborhoods

The skyline of the old town as seen from North

Lübeck main station (Lübeck Hbf)

Lübeck civil registration office, in the St. Jürgen zone

The beach of Travemünde

The city of Lübeck is divided into 10 main zones. These zones are then split into 35 smaller districts. Here are the 10 main zones:

• 01 City Centre (~ 12,000 people)

This is the main tourist area. It includes the old town and former city walls. It's the oldest and smallest part of Lübeck.

• 02 St. Jürgen (~ 40,000 people)

This is one of Lübeck's three historic suburbs. It's south of the city center and is the largest part of the city.

• 03 Moisling (~ 10,000 people)

Moisling is in the far southwest. Its history goes back to the 17th century.

• 04 Buntekuh (~ 10,000 people)

Buntekuh is in western Lübeck. It has many business areas, including the Citti-Park, Lübeck's biggest shopping mall.

• 05 St. Lorenz-South (~ 12,000 people)

This area is right southwest of the city center and has a lot of people living close together. The main train and bus station are here.

• 06 St. Lorenz-North (~ 40,000 people)

This part is in the northwest of Lübeck. Railways separate it from St. Lorenz-South.

• 07 St. Gertrud (~ 40,000 people)

St. Gertrud is east of the city center. It's known for its beautiful nature, with many parks, rivers, and forests.

• 08 Schlutup (~ 6,000 people)

Schlutup is in the far east of Lübeck. It's quite separate from other parts of the city because of a forest and the Trave River.

• 09 Kücknitz (~ 20,000 people)

North of the Trave River, Kücknitz was Lübeck's main industrial area.

• 10 Travemünde (~ 15,000 people)

Travemünde is in the far northeast of Lübeck, right on the Baltic Sea. With its long beach, it's the second-biggest tourist spot in the city.

Lübeck's Global Connections

Sister Cities Around the World

Lübeck has special "sister city" relationships with these cities:

• Kotka, Finland (since 1969)
• Wismar, Germany (since 1987)
• La Rochelle, France (since 1988)
• Klaipėda, Lithuania (since 1990)
• Visby, Sweden (since 1999)

Friendly Cities

Lübeck also has friendly connections with:

• Venice, Italy (since 1979)
• Kawasaki, Japan (since 1992)
• Bergen, Norway (since 1996)
• Shaoxing, China (since 2003)

Getting Around Lübeck

Lübeck Airport

Lübeck is connected to three main highways (Autobahnen). The A1 Motorway goes north to the Island of Fehmarn and Copenhagen (Denmark). It goes south to Hamburg, Bremen, and Cologne. The A20 Motorway heads east towards Wismar and Rostock. It goes west towards the North Sea. The A226 Motorway starts in central Lübeck and goes to the seaport city of Travemünde.

Lübeck has several train stations. The main one is Lübeck Hauptbahnhof, which is the busiest station in Schleswig-Holstein. About 31,000 passengers use it every day. Regional trains connect Lübeck to Hamburg, Kiel, and other places. There are also some long-distance trains to cities like Munich and Frankfurt.

Public buses are run by the Lübeck City-Traffic-Company. There are 40 bus lines that serve the city and the surrounding area.

The district of Travemünde is on the Baltic Sea and has Lübeck's main port. The Scandinavienkai is where ferries leave for places like Malmö and Trelleborg (Sweden), Liepāja (Latvia), and Helsinki (Finland). It's the second-biggest German port on the Baltic Sea.

Lübeck Airport is located south of Lübeck. It offers regional flights and some charter flights to Italy and Croatia.

Famous People from Lübeck

Lübeck has been home to many notable people over the years.

Artists and Performers

J. F. Overbeck, self portrait with family, 1820

• Benjamin Block (1631–1690), a German-Hungarian Baroque painter.
• Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723), a court painter for British kings and queens.
• Friedrich Overbeck (1789–1869), a painter and leader of the Nazarenes art group.
• Erich Ponto (1884–1957), a well-known actor.
• Justus von Dohnányi (born 1960), a modern actor.
• Jonas Nay (born 1990), also an actor.

Musicians and Composers

Dieterich Buxtehude

• Franz Tunder (1614–1667), an organist and composer.
• Dieterich Buxtehude (c.1637–1707), a very famous composer and organist.
• Anja Thauer (1945–1973), a talented cellist.

Scientists and Thinkers

Robert Christian Ave-Lallemant, 1851

• Joachim Jungius (1587–1657), a mathematician, physicist, and philosopher.
• Heinrich Meibom (1638–1700), a medical expert who discovered the Meibomian gland.
• Hermann von Fehling (1811–1885), a chemist.
• Robert Christian Avé-Lallemant (1812–1884), a doctor and explorer.
• Ernst Curtius (1814–1896), a classical archaeologist and historian.
• Friedrich Wilhelm Gustav Bruhn (1853–1927), who invented the taximeter.
• Cornelia Schorer (1863–1939), one of Germany's first female doctors.
• Wolfgang Luthe (1922–1985), a doctor and pioneer of autogenic training.

Writers

Heinrich (left) and Thomas Mann, 1902

• Christian Adolph Overbeck (1755–1821), a mayor and poet.
• Emanuel Geibel (1815–1884), a poet.
• Heinrich Mann (1871–1950), a novelist.
• Thomas Mann (1875–1955), a famous novelist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929.

Sports Figures

• Sandra Völker (born 1974), a swimmer who won three medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
• Maximilian Munski (born 1988), a rower who won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Images for kids

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  Ephraim Carlebach, 1936

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  C. F. Heineken, 1726

See also

In Spanish: Lübeck para niños