Three striking church towers
The best way to get closer to the old Hanseatic city of Stralsund is, of course, by boat across the Strelasund from the island of Rügen. Slowly, the skyline with its three striking church spires, the shimmering silvery Ozeaneum, the Kontorhäuser, all slowly approach on board the ferry.
After the shore leave, we head to the fish hall for a Matjesbr’tchen to lay the culinary foundations for exploring the city. Then on to the Heilgeistkloster, which is not a monastery, but a former hospital and old people's quarter, a romantic oasis in the middle of the city, with half-timbered terraced houses, cobblestones and fragrant hollyhocks. The hustle and bustle of the city is suddenly far away.
Excursion destinations in Stralsund: pull out all the stops
As if it were the set of a Buddenbrooks film: since 2002, Stralsund's old town with its brick Gothic town hall, brightly painted town houses and the residences of wealthy merchant families has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the Alter Markt, children play in the water fountains and guests sit under parasols in front of the restaurants. Stralsund looks like a mixture of Copenhagen and Venice, combining Mediterranean flair with Scandinavian „hyggeligkeit“. And with Hanseatic understatement: the splendor and wealth of the houses are often hidden behind simple facades. One example is the skylight domes and baroque angels in the former headquarters of the Wertheim department store.
A highlight at the end is the Kulturkirche St. Jakobi. Pulpit, altar and organ – all there. But church services have not been held in the Gothic building for a long time. Instead, concerts, congresses and events are now held here. Instead of pews, there are designer chairs in the room; on the walls are pictures of modern art. And in the gallery - an organ. It took three years to restore the destroyed instrument from 1741. Now it is roaring again – and Stralsund can pull out all the stops.
