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| Hanseatic city of Wismar germany | ||
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| 01 St. George’s Church | 02 St. Nicholas’ Church | 03 St. Mary’s Church (Tower) |
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| 04 Church of the Holy Spirit | 05 | 06 |
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Baltic Sea Air and Tradition The old town centre of Wismar provides a perfect illustration of what a leading member of the Hanseatic League must have looked like during the glory days of this ancient trade federation in the 14th century. The historical town centre has preserved its medieval layout virtually unchanged and bears all the key characteristics of a coastal trading town established under the “Law of Lübeck”. The old buildings, including some extraordinary and unique monuments, are capable of providing the visitor with an impression of the political importance and wealth of the medieval Baltic seaports. Wismar is the only Hanseatic League town in the Southern Baltic of similar size and architectural importance which has been preserved in anywhere near its original state. Contact Wismar Tourism Office Am Markt 11 23966 Wismar Phone: +49 (0) 3841 251-3025 Fax: +49 (0) 3841 251-3091 Email: touristinfo@wismar.de |
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 Market Square Wismar is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The population was 45,414 in March 2005, more than doubled from 21,902 in 1905. Representative of Hanseatic League city brick construction as well as the German brick churches, the city has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 2002. The town was the setting of the 1922 vampire movie Nosferatu (in the film however, the town is named "Wisborg"). The 1979 remake was shot on location. History Wismar is said to have received civic rights in 1229, and came into the possession of Mecklenburg in 1301. In 1259 it had entered a pact with Lübeck and Rostock, intended to defend against the numerous Baltic sea pirates, which developed into the Hanseatic League. During the 13th and 14th centuries it was a flourishing Hanseatic town, with important woollen factories. Though a plague carried off 10,000 of the inhabitants in 1376, the town seems to have remained tolerably prosperous until the 16th century. Under Swedish rule By the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 Wismar passed to Sweden, with a lordship to which it gives its name. Through Wismar and the other dominions in the Holy Roman Empire, the Swedish monarchs in their roles as princes, or Reichsfürsten, took part in the Imperial Diets. From 1653 it was the seat of the highest court for that part of Sweden. In 1803 Sweden pledged both town and lordship to Mecklenburg for 1,258,000 Riksdaler, reserving, however, the right of redemption after 100 years. In view of this contingent right of Sweden, Wismar was not represented in the diet of Mecklenburg until 1897. In 1903 Sweden finally renounced its claims. Wismar still retains a few relics of its old liberties, including the right to fly its own flag. At the turn of the 19th century the most important manufactures of Wismar were in iron, machinery, paper, roofing-felt and asphalt. There was also a considerable trade, especially by sea, with exports including grain, oil-seeds and butter, and the imports coal, timber and iron. The harbour was deep enough to admit vessels of 5 m draught, and permitting large steamers to unload along its quays. Main sights  Wassertor (Water Gate). The centre of the old town is the huge Market Place, the largest in Germany (10,000 square metres), surrounded by elegant buildings with styles ranging from 14th-century North German Gothic to 19th-century Romanesque revival. The square's focal point is the Wasserkunst, an elaborate wrought-iron fountain imported from Holland in 1602. The northern side of the square is occupied by the Town Hall, built in neoclassical style in 1817-1819. Another notable building in the square is an ancient Gothic warehouse called Alter Schwede (The Old Swede), erected around 1380. The 80 m high tower church of St Mary (Marienkirche) is the only remainder of the original Brick Gothic edifice, built in the first half of the 13th century. It suffered heavy damage in World War II, and was deliberately destroyed in 1960 under the East German Communist government. The church of St Nicholas (Nikolaikirche), built in 1381-1460, with very lofty vaulting, together with the Marienkirche, are regarded as good examples of the influence exercised in these northern provinces by the large church of St Mary in Lübeck. The elegant cruciform church of St George (St Georgen-Kirche) dates from the first half of the 13th century. It was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 1990. The Fürstenhof, at one time a ducal residence, and later occupied by the municipal authorities, is a richly decorated specimen of the Italian early Renaissance style. Built in 1552-1565, it was restored in 1877-1879. The "Old School", dating from about 1300, has been restored, and used as a museum. The town hall, rebuilt in 1829, contains a collection of pictures.  |
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