The state of preservation of the old town of Wismar is remarkable, so remarkable that it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. During the heyday of the Hanseatic League from the 13th through the 17th centuries the city was a major trading port competing and trading with its sister port of Lubeck about 30 miles away at the base of Mecklenburger Bay. Wismar's churches alone are reason enough to visit.
Beginning as a herring fishery on the Baltic, it has remained dependent in good part on the fishing industry. During the post World war II period it was home base for a number of those huge fishing trawlers that vacuumed the sea during the late twentieth century. While those days went with the fall of the Berlin Wall, an active local fishing industry remains centered on the Alter Hafen, itself a major attraction for visitors.
Market Square and the Wasserkunst
Enclosed by a ring of streets that closely follow the route of its medieval walls, the city manages to retain the Medieval feeling of its historic past. At the heart of the Altstadt is the Market Square, at 10,000 sq. meters one of the largest in northern Germany. Used as parking much of the time, it also still serves as a weekly market site. Off in one corner is a city symbol, the Wasserkunst. To replace a series of canals and ditches that brought water into the city, a new protected water system was installed in the early 17th century terminating in this low Dutch Renaissance tower.
Along one side, the white neoclassical-style Rathaus has been the guardian of the square since its completion in 1819. Diagonally across the Market Square on the east side is the remarkable Alter Schwede house, a former Hanseatic merchant house and warehouse dating from 1380. Like most Hansa buildings of the period it sits with its gable end to the street, highly decorated with columns of windows cased in ornate brickwork. Elsewhere around the square, look for other houses with the characteristic ornate stucco gable end treatment.
Historic Streets and a 500 Year Old Brewery
This is a superb city for wandering the streets, which retain many of its oldest houses. Gable-ended facades of houses and storerooms of the old city center bring the Hansa heritage to life. The city is also noted for its huge medieval brick churches. From the Market Square follow Krämerstrasse or wander the streets on either side of it. The Hotel Alter Speicher on Breite Strasse makes a perfect location from which to explore the old city. Close by is the Grube, a medieval waterway dating from the 13th century and used for everything from drinking water to milling operations. Just one street back from the ring road at the harbor, the Lohberg is a long square of ancient warehouses now filled with restaurants and pubs. A visit to the brewpub Brauhaus am Lohberg is almost a required part of a Wismar visit, as it has been here for more than 555 years.
A Hansa Harbor and a Cruise On a Kogge
The harbor area is reached through the 15th century Wassertor (Water Gate) at the end of the Lohberg. There are four harbors here but the one visitors want is the historic and picturesque Alten Hafen. Wander the huge dock area to find boats offering cruises on the Baltic. An especially inviting one is the Kogge Wismarra, an authentic replica of a Hansa trading ship. This is also a great place to come for a traditional Baltic lunch of herring. Fishing boats line the docks selling smoked and fresh fish of every variety to locals and visitors alike. A fischbrötchen or small bag of smoked shrimp for lunch on the docks is a local ritual, and a wonderful treat as well.
Stillman Rogers - Travel is an important method of learning about the rest of the world and finding our own place in it. Exposure to other culture enriches ...
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