Stralsund, a Beautiful City

Stralsund is a medieval town situated in Northern Germany, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, close to the Baltic Sea coast. It is renowned for its shipyards and fishing related industries, as well as for its tourism. Its historical city centre attracts thousands of visitors, eager to see imposing churches and red brick typical houses which remind of the time when Stralsund was a very powerful city.

It is known that Stralsund was once a member of the Hanseatic League, the alliance that was formed between medieval trading cities and their guilds in order to establish a trade monopoly during the Late Middle Ages.

Interestingly enough, Stralsund's “Altstadt” (Old town) is situated on its own island, surrounded by the Baltic Sea and by lakes. In 2002, this Brick Gothic historic centre has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The most important part of Stralsund is definitely the “Alter Markt” (Old Market Square) famous for the Gothic Town Hall that dates back from the 13th century. Here you will also find the imposing Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas' Church), as well as the Gothic Wulflamhaus and the Baroque Commandantenhaus.

The Marienkirche (Saint Mary's Church) is another great example of fine German brick construction and it's the largest Stralsund cathedral. From its 104 meters high tower you have the opportunity to see the entire panorama of Stralsund.

It is impossible to visit Stralsund without paying a visit to the harbour, from where 300 ships cruised the Baltic Sea in the 14th century. What makes the harbour a really great attraction nowadays are the old brick warehouses and the waterside bars and restaurants where you can taste the renowned German cuisine.

While in Stralsund don't forget to also visit the German Oceanographic Museum, one of Germany's largest museum of natural science. There are 45 aquariums that display live sea creatures from both the North Sea and the North Atlantic. As a piece of advice, if you plan to visit the aquarium you should definitely make sure you have plenty of time. There are a lot of things worth seeing there.

Stralsund will satisfy any tourist with its diverse range of touristic attractions. You can be either a culture fan or a sports fan, you will surely find something new and challenging here. A nice thing to say about Stralsund is that its people are warm and friendly. You can best see this when trying to get information from the employees of the touristic office. They will support you, providing help, information and brochures, as well as organizing tours and town guidances. Planning your vacation and creating your holiday has never been so simple.