Discover the seafaring stories of Travemuende’s Old Lighthouse (Alter Leuchtturm), one of the country’s oldest beacons. Dating back to the 16th century, this round brick tower has been a familiar sight on Travemuende’s Bay of Luebeck coastline. Spend some time admiring the grand old lighthouse’s charming architecture then step inside to explore the museum.
A lighthouse has stood in the 12th-century fortress town of Travemuende since at least 1316. This particular structure was built on the Leuchtenfeld (Lighthouse Park) in 1539, long after the reign of the Duke of Saxony. After almost 450 years of non-stop service, the lighthouse was retired in 1972. Gaze up at the circular tower, which rises 101.7 feet (31 meters) from the shores of the Baltic Sea. The tower’s six brick tiers dominate the pretty town’s waterfront.
Make your way inside to find an intriguing maritime history museum. Check out some of the lighthouse keeper’s relics, including lanterns, books and equipment. The museum also has a collection of scale model ships.
Make the ascent up the spiral staircase to the Old Lighthouse’s outdoor viewing platform. From here, you’ll have magnificent views across the Bay of Luebeck and Travemuende’s historic skyline. See if you can spot the brick façade of the town’s other remaining 16th-century building, the Alte Vogtei. You might see ships cruising into the mouth of the Trave River and the sailing ship Passat moored on the opposite bank.
Return in the evening to see the Old Lighthouse dramatically lit from beneath. If you look carefully at Travemuende’s skyline, you can see the Maritim Strandhotel’s beacon, which took over the job of guiding ships through the bay after the Old Lighthouse was retired.
Travemuende’s Old Lighthouse is located on the north bank of the town, where the Trave River meets the Bay of Luebeck. The lighthouse is open daily and there is an entrance fee. Guided tours are available three times a week between April and October however, tours are only available in German.