Lüneburg Old Town
Lüneburger Altstadt
A Hanseatic old town built on salt wealth, with stepped-gable red-brick houses, wooden harbour cranes and crooked lanes that have survived intact. It's about half an hour by train from Hamburg.
In the Middle Ages, Lüneburg became one of the wealthiest cities in the Hanseatic League thanks to its underground salt deposits. It was hardly bombed in the Second World War, so its Old Town keeps large areas of Gothic stepped-gable red-brick buildings. Must-sees include the rows of gabled houses lining the Am Sande square and the City Hall, one of the largest medieval town halls in Germany, which can be seen on a guided tour. Along the Ilmenau River, the old harbour of Stintmarkt has wooden cranes dating from the 1330s and a row of restaurants and bars. On Auf dem Meere street and at St. Michael's Church, the buildings lean noticeably because the ground has sunk from underground salt mining. The German Salt Museum tells the millennium-long history of salt production. From Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, take the RE or ME regional train for about 30 minutes. A German regional transit ticket is valid for the journey, and the town suits a half-day to full-day trip.
Opening hours
Old town open all day; City Hall tours approx. 10:00–17:00 (check website)
Nearby sights
- BallinStadt Emigration Museum
- Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe
- International Maritime Museum
- Hamburger Kunsthalle
- HafenCity
- Speicherstadt & Kontorhaus District
- St. Petri Church
- Ohlsdorf Cemetery