We are running towards the middle of June and the summer vacation period is approaching. After experiencing most of the sights in Kiel, it’s time to look around Kiel. These are 3 cities worth to visit near Kiel and places to visit there.

1. Hamburg

Hamburg (Photo by Byunghyun Lee)

  • Altona City Hall

City hall is one of Hamburg’s representative buildings with a height of 112m. Martin Haller and Wilhelm Hauer were the architects. It is located in front of Rathausmarkt Square. After a fire in 1842 burned down the old city hall building, the need to build a new city hall was felt, and a group of seven architects led by Martin Haller designed the new city hall building. It took 44 years to complete the new building. Construction began in 1886 and was completed on October 26, 1897.

  • Elbphilharmonie

 Elbphilharmonie is the tallest building in Hamburg, a modern building and a representative landmark. A state-of-the-art concert hall designed by Herzog & de Meuron, is overlooking the sea. It is a large-scale building that can accommodate about 2,000 people and was completed in 2017. It is architecturally very beautiful and is one of the largest concert halls in the world with the latest acoustics. It is also known as Elphi by a simple nickname.

The glass wall surrounding the outer wall symbolizes sails, waves, and icebergs, and when viewed from a distance, at first glance resembles the appearance of the sea with waves. After completion, on January 11, 2017, a wonderful light show and an official opening were aired with members of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.

2. Lübeck

  • Holstentor

Holstentor is a representative landmark that symbolizes Lübeck. It served as a kind of triumphal arch, but is now used as a museum. It has served as a castle gate marking the western boundary of Lübeck from the past. Built in 1464, it is one of the few remains of medieval fortifications in Lübeck. The arched entrance with its two round towers is very impressive and unique. Together with the old town of Lübeck, Holsten Gate was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. There are numerous windows and doors on the inside and outside of the door, where you can fire arrows, cannons, and bullets to shoot at the enemies who are trying to invade the city. It is easy to shoot from the inside out, but on the contrary, it is not easy to shoot from the outside to the inside.

  • Marienkirche

Marienkirche is one of the representative religious buildings in Lübeck. It was built on the present site between 1250 and 1350. The total height of the church is 125m and the total length is 103 m. This building, which was once the center of the Hanseatic League, is known as a building that proves how prosperous and prosperous Lübeck was. Marienkirche is a typical architectural style of brick Gothic style in northern Germany. The heights of the twin spires are 124,95m and 124.75m, respectively, which look similar, but are slightly different.

Even this stunning church building did not escape the Allied air strikes during World War II in 1944. Most of the facilities collapsed and destroyed due to the air raid. Until the end of the war, the church was protected with a temporary roof, and after the war, full-scale reconstruction work began and could not be completed until 1959.

3. Flensburg

  • Nordertor

The Nordertor symbolizes the city of Flensburg and has played a role similar to Holstentor in Lübeck in the past. It shows the location of the border of Flensburg, the gateway to the north.

  • Flensburg Brewery

The Flensburg Brewery has a history of over 130 years. Even in Germany, rich in beer culture, the history of the Flensburg brewery is special. The Flensburg export brewery is founded and built on the Munketoft according to modern technical knowledge. Currently, there are two large breweries in Flensburg: the “Flensburger Export-Brauerei” and the “Flensburger Actien-Brauerei-Gesellschaft”, which has existed since 1873.

This is the time information for the brewery tour, but currently unavailable due to current situation.

DateTimePrice per person
Monday to Friday10am / 2pm12€
Monday to Friday6pm15€
Saturday (Only from May to September)10am15€

In addition to the above three cities, Schleswig-Holstein has many places where we can enjoy the natural scenery, such as Plön, Eckernförde, and Schleswig. It seems like it would be a good option to visit there and relax during this vacation.