Wismar Attractions - Top 10 Most Popular Attractions

The Hanseatic city of Wismar in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern captivates visitors with its long history and cultural diversity. A stroll through the city reveals many charming and historical buildings in the old town, as well as the maritime charm of this northern German harbor city.

Learn about Wismar's most interesting aspects with our list of the 10 most beautiful sights in the city.

The town hall occupies almost the entire north side of Wismar's marketplace, which, at 10,000 m², is one of the largest squares in northern Germany. The town hall has bordered it since its completion in 1819.

The neoclassical town hall was designed by court architect Johann Georg Barca. During the time of East Germany, it underwent several architectural changes to better fit the ideals of socialist architecture. However, these changes have since been reversed.

In addition to a splendid banquet hall and a balcony supported by Doric columns above the entrance, the gothic cellar vault is a highlight of the town hall. Here, an exhibition is housed that displays old city views and archaeological artifacts from the Wismar area.

Tip: In front of the town hall is the equally noteworthy Wasserkunst Wismar, a stone fountain in Renaissance style from the late 16th century.

Address:

Am Markt 1

23966 Wismar

St. Mary's Church in the center of the old town was once the tallest of the three city churches in Wismar. Today, only the church tower remains. However, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city, as the church was built between approximately 1260 and 1270.

The original St. Mary's Church was only about 36 m long and 16 m high. In a second construction phase, some parts of the church were demolished and replaced with an ambulatory choir with a ring of chapels, as well as a basilica made from the stones of the demolished hall church. Further additions included raising the church tower to 80 m.

The raising of the tower had a purely practical reason: it was used as a navigation mark for ships passing through the Baltic Sea. For this reason, the tower was also preserved as the only part of the church after World War II when the nave and choir were destroyed by bomb damage. It is now used for events.

The Old Harbor of Wismar dates back to the pre-industrial age when, thanks to its sheltered location at Wismar Bay, Wismar was an important trading hub. This allowed Wismar to become one of the most significant cities in all of Europe during the Hanseatic period.

Today, alongside the Old Harbor, there are many other ports in Wismar where ships of all types and sizes dock. The Old Harbor now only has a purely historical significance; economic activities have shifted to other locations.

The Old Harbor is lined with many charming old houses, in which many hotels and restaurants have settled. Consistent with this, historic sailing ships are showcased on the water, emphasizing Wismar's Hanseatic flair.

Tip: Since 1991, the large music festival Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has taken place every summer at the Old Harbor.

The Technical State Museum in Wismar was completely renovated in 2012 and has since become a modern experiential museum that entertainingly brings you closer to the history of technology in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with numerous models and experiments.

Long before it became a contemporary experiential museum, the PhanTECHNIKUM began in 1961 as a polytechnical museum, with its exhibits split between the Wismar Glasshouse and the Schwerin Marstall. The new building at Lübscher Bay finally allowed both exhibitions to be combined.

The exhibits in the technical museum are divided according to the four elements: water, fire, earth, and air. A significant portion of the exhibits consists of originals and replicas of cars, airplanes, and ships. A streetcar from the 1920s and a fighter plane from World War I are among the most impressive pieces.

Address:

Zum Festpl. 3

23966 Wismar

Wismar's St. Nicholas Church was built in the Middle Ages in honor of the sailors and fishermen of the city, many of whom lived here due to Wismar's position as a maritime trading center. The construction lasted from 1381 to the late 15th century.

With a height of 37 m, the nave of St. Nicholas Church is the fourth highest in Germany. Appropriately, the church tower originally soared to a proud 120 m. However, after storm damage in the 18th century, it was later shortened to half its height during restoration work.

Despite the now lower tower height, St. Nicholas Church remains a prominent point in Wismar's cityscape. No wonder, as it is one of the most impressive late Gothic buildings in northern Germany.

Address:

St.-Nikolai-Kirchhof 15

23966 Wismar

Old Swede is the name of Wismar's oldest merchant house. It was built around 1380 at the behest of a wealthy merchant and impresses aesthetically with its typical stepped gables and richly decorated windows for the time.

After several centuries as a commercial and trading building, the ground floor was converted into a tavern in 1878. Remembering Wismar's affiliation with Sweden from 1648 to 1803, it was called the Old Swede. Since the tavern was located in the house for over a hundred years, the name remained afterwards.

After extensive renovations in the 1980s, a new tavern opened in the Old Swede, naturally under the same name. The open fireplace and many ship models inside create a cozy, maritime atmosphere.

Address:

Am Markt 22

23966 Wismar

The Wismar Tree House is not really a tree house, but a baroque harbor building from the 18th century. It got its name from the floating long wood, called Baum, which was used at that time to barricade the harbor. Today, it hosts changing art exhibitions.

In the dark or in case of impending danger, the harbor entrance used to be blocked with the long wood or a chain to keep unwanted ships away from Wismar. The harbor workers responsible for this, known as Bohmschlüter, were stationed in the tree house.

The entrance of the tree house is decorated with the famous Swedish heads. These are two baroque-painted Hercules busts, the history of which can be traced back to 1672. However, since the originals were damaged by a Finnish ship in 1902, they are now duplicates.

Once, five large gates were part of Wismar's city fortifications. Today, only the Water Gate at the Old Harbor remains. As the only medieval city gate, it connected Wismar with the port area.

The gabled building was erected in 1450 in northern German brick Gothic style and represents one of the oldest secular buildings in Wismar. It is characterized by the pointed archway and the large opening in the three floors above.

Around the water tower, parts of the old city wall were rebuilt to provide an impression of the historical structure. This construction journey into Wismar's past is further supported by historical bastion cannons from the Hanseatic era.

Address:

Am Hafen 1

23966 Wismar

St. George's Church stands out among the other buildings in Wismar, as it is a Gothic church that noticeably differs from the typical brick Gothic style of the old town. The impressive three-nave basilica is complemented by a crosswise building, chapels, and a flat choir end.

The Georgienkirche was built in the 13th century and long served as the church of the feudal lords and craftspeople. In World War II, Georgienkirche was severely damaged and was rebuilt only after the reunification of Germany. Only the tower on the west façade remains unfinished to this day.

The beautiful high altar inside St. George's Church is adorned with 42 saint figures and is considered the most valuable piece of the furnishings. Another highlight of the church is set to be a viewing platform.

Did you know? The namesake of St. George's Church is the patron saint St. George.

Address:

St.-Georgen-Kirchhof 1A

23966 Wismar

The very first department store of the well-known chain Karstadt was established in Wismar. In a four-story Art Nouveau building, Rudolph Karstadt opened his 'Fabric, Manufacturing, and Confectionery Store' in 1881 - the beginning of a success story.

In the late 19th century, it was common to negotiate prices for goods individually. Karstadt, however, introduced fixed prices in his department store, with resounding success. Soon, numerous other branches followed throughout northern Germany. Today, Karstadt is one of the largest department store chains in Europe.

To this day, Karstadt remains in the historical building, which has been extensively renovated and updated. However, it is now the smallest branch of the company, another sign of the remarkable success that began here in Wismar.

Address:

Rudolph-Karstadt-Platz 1

23966 Wismar

Many of Wismar's attractions historically reference the time it was an important Hanseatic city, which continues to shape Wismar's unmistakable maritime flair. Embark on a time travel adventure in the charming harbor city and make Wismar your next city trip destination.

The following attractions in Wismar are also suitable for children:

You can leisurely stroll through the old town - by the way, a UNESCO World Heritage site - with your dog or take a walk through the Civic Park or the Linden Garden. Your four-legged friend will probably be the happiest with a visit to the dog beach in Wendorf.

Don't miss a trip to nearby attractions of Wismar. They include:

In Wismar, you can visit the cog Wissemare, the old harbor, and St. Nicholas Church free of charge.

The following Wismar attractions also offer a lot of fun in bad weather: