Wismar, Germany 🇩🇪 2022

Date: 9th August 2022

Travelled: 100 kms from Ludwigslust to Wismar, Germany  

Visited: Wismar, the old town and marina   

Stayed: Wismar Stellplatz, €15, N53.89430, E11.45220  

Budget: 76 days @ €106 per day

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We hit the road for the A14 north, filling with diesel as we depart Ludwigslust. The road is excellent and the traffic light. The Hymer rambles on at 95 kph, everyone else is doing 130 except the trucks of course.

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Little over an hour later we roll into Wismar and drive straight to the stellplatz which is conveniently located less than a 10 minute walk to the centrum. Pam has an urge to do some washing and there’s a laundromat just up the street so we go off exploring.

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Looking up the street from the laundromat, Wismar already looks interesting. Wismar dates back to 1226 and like many of these northern port cities it was once part of the Hanseatic League. Which was a trading alliance not unlike the EU but a 13-17th century version.

Our first stop is the Marienkirchturm (The Church Tower of St. Mary), circa early 13th century. The church was severely damaged during WWII. Given Wismar was part of the old East Germany there was no political will to rebuild the church. It remained as it was until 1960 when site was finally made safe with just the tower left standing.

It’s a moving reminder of the lost years between the war and unification.

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As we walk on, we stumble upon the Fürstenhof (Prince’s Court). Once the seat of the Dukes of Mecklenburg, this gate beneath the Duke’s ‘New House’ (circa 1553) opened into a courtyard, which now has several Audi’s parked within it.

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Following our tourist map our next stop is St Georgen-Kirche (church of St George), circa 13th century. As our guide book explains it has been extended and rebuilt many time. It’s huge, a classic late gothic red brick structure of mammoth proportions. So many bricks, yet this church no longer exists, it’s just a shell, another victim of allied bombing and the lack of political will in post war East Germany.

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Enough of churches that are no longer church we continue walking to the Markt Square. The old facades are a picture of subtle changes in colour and style. We are so moved that a glass of trocken riesling and a large bitlager seems appropriate.

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We make our way back to the Hymer for a late afternoon rest before making the short walk across to the port for dinner. Whilst Wismar only rates a few lines in our guide book it reminds us how good it is to be back in Germany visiting these historic towns.

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Michael + Pam