Sightseeing in Stralsund

Stralsund’s old town is compact and can easily be explored on foot. Agood place to start is at the Alter Markt and then move along to Neuer Markt. From here stroll to the harbor via the Heilgeistkirche if interested.

Alter Markt

The large Alter Markt (Old Market Square) is dominated by the Rathaus and the Nikolaikirche. The early 13th-century Rathaus (Town Hall), is a brick Gothic masterpiece. The brick façade facing the market square was added around 1400 and is adorned by the shields of the foremost Hanseatic members. The Renaissance staircase was added in 1579. Behind the arcades that served as market hall is a lovely 17th-century gallery, now with a protective glass roof.

Closely integrated with the Rathaus is the Nikolaikirche (St Nicholas Church), Alter Markt, the oldest church in Stralsund. It was erected between 1270 and 1360 following the example of the Marienkirche in Lübeck. Following a fire in 1662, the 104-m (310-foot) south tower received a Baroque roof, while that of the north tower remained flat. The brick Gothic church has no transept and the side aisles are low, in contrast to the high nave. Some of the original colorful wall paintings survived. The church has a wealth of art treasures – of particular note are the St Anne figure dating from before 1280, the crucifix of the high altar dating back to 1360, and an astronomical clock.

On the north side of the square, is the interesting façade of the Wulflamhaus. This brick Gothic house dates from 1380. It has a high gable with turrets and candlesnuffer rooftops, blending well with the design of the Rathaus. On the east side of the square is the Baroque Commandanten-Hus, the residence of the town commander during Swedish rule.

Neuer Markt

The shortest way from the Alter Markt to the Neuer Markt is via the Rathaus and the pedestrian zone, which is lined with shops. If time is available, turn left into Böttcherstraße to see the Jakobikirche (St James’ Church), Jakobiturmstraße, built during the 14th century. It was severely damaged by a thunderbolt in 1662 and the reconstruction was almost completely destroyed by air raids in 1944. The interior is rather bare and in the process of a rather leisurely reconstruction.

Following the pedestrian route automatically leads you to the former Katharinenkloster (St Catherine’s Monastery), Katherinenberg 14-20, which was founded in the 13th century as a Dominican monastery. Since 1951, the former monastery has housed the Deutsches Meeresmuseum (German Maritime Museum). The museum is the largest of its kind in central Europe and has exhibitions on fisheries and sea life in general. The monastery’s originally 73-m (234-foot) triple nave hall church is the heart of the museum with a 50,000-liter (11,000-gallon) tank in the former crypt filled with tropical fish.

Also in the monastery, but enter from Mönchstraße 25, is the Kulturhistorisches Museum (Cultural History). It has been in existence since 1859 and focuses on the archeological finds, arts, crafts, and culture of Vorpommern.

The monumental Marienkirche, Neuer Markt, was built between 1384 and 1478. It is the largest medieval church in the town and the last major brick Gothic basilica built in northern Europe. It has a precious Baroque organ. The 104-m (330-foot) tower can be scaled for superb views.