Lübeck and Wismar – Part II

Wismar is another beautifully preserved medieval town, and it too has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wismar was a flourishing Hanseatic town during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with important woolen factories.

The towers of Wismar’s impressive churches, huge warehouses, imposing brick Gothic architecture, and medieval walls reflect the influence of the Hanseatic League. I was surprised to learn that in 1648, Wismar passed to Sweden, and from 1653 it was the seat of the highest court for that part of Sweden. In 1903, Sweden finally renounced its claims, but there are Swedish influences throughout the city.

We began our tour in the center of Wismar’s old town at St. Mary’s Church, one of the city’s oldest buildings. Built in the thirteenth century, the church was destroyed during World War II. Today, all that remains is the bell tower, although the plaza attempts to recreate the footprint of the nave.

St. Mary's Church

Around St. Mary's Church

We made our way next to St. George’s Church, where we visited the interior. This medieval, brick Gothic structure was also badly damaged in World War II but was rebuilt in 1990 and reopened in 2010. I was glad to see that fragments of the original wall paintings had been preserved in place.

St. George's Church

St Nicholas, along with St. Mary's and St. George's, is the third of the three great churches that dominate the skyline of the city of Wismar and is the only one to survive World War II intact. The flying buttresses caught my attention.

St. Nicholas Church

We spent much of our time in Wismar’s market square, one of largest in northern Germany. The square exhibits a wealth of architectural styles, with gabled houses from different eras framing the space. The dominant building here is the neoclassical town hall. I was most intrigued by the Wasserkunst, one of the landmarks of Wismar. This pavilion-like structure was built in 1595-1602 and is a wellhouse above an underground reservoir. It supplied drinking water to the city until 1897.

Around Market Square

Town Hall

The Wasserkunst

As in Lübeck. I simply enjoyed wandering the streets and enjoying the architecture. I think my favorites were the buildings fronting the narrow canals that wove their way through the city.

Buildings of Wismar

Some of our fellow passengers were disappointed that the shops were closed due to Ascension Day. Tim and I aren’t shoppers, so we didn’t mind.

The Viking Venus was almost empty when we arrived back around 6:00 pm, since the folks traveling to Berlin were not due back until much later. Later, when I heard some commotion outside our window, I looked and saw most of the Viking staff assembling on the pier and having a great time. Even the captain was dancing! The staff was there to personally welcome everyone back to the ship after their very long day. What a nice Viking touch!

A Viking Welcome Back