Glückstadt
Glückstadt is a real treasure amongst the North German cities, and also the result of an ambitious royal dream: in 1617, Christian IV, King of Denmark and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, decided to compete with the Hanseatic city of Hamburg.
He had a fortified town built from scratch in the middle of some inaccessible land. It bore a considerable resemblance to examples from the Italian Renaissance.
Glückstadt continues to excite visitors with its clear structure – the beautiful, symmetrical floor plan of a polygonal, radial town. Despite having founded the town and waged bitter battles with its Hamburg rivals, the population of Glückstadt was not quite able to match the supremacy of the city on the Elbe in terms of military strength or trade politics.
However, it certainly captivates with the charm of a wonderfully restored small town with welcoming houses and open people.
Sights of interest and places to visit
The harbour in Glückstadt is particularly worth a visit. The row of houses along the waterfront, which is completely under group monument protection, is considered one of the most beautiful waterfronts in northern Germany.
Glückstadt is a popular destination with sailors thanks to its spacious inland harbour. Another attraction is directly related to the water. The original Glückstadt ‘matjes’ is made in Glückstadt. This is a young herring which is marinated using a special process to become the matjes fillet which has become famous well beyond the borders of Schleswig-Holstein.
In honour of this little silvery treasure, Glückstadt celebrates a huge festival each year in June.
Getting there
Motorway link: A23 Hamburg–North Sea
Ferry companies: Elbfähre Glückstadt-Wischhafen
Train station: Glückstadt train station
Distance: 1 km
High-speed ICE trains do not stop here.
Contact
Address:
Touristinformation Glückstadt
Große Nübelstraße 31
25348 Glückstadt
Contact: Stefanie Hartmann
Phone: +49 (0) 41 24 - 93 75 85
Fax: +49 (0) 41 24 - 93 75 86
eMail: info@glueckstadt-dm.de
Web: www.glueckstadt-tourismus.de
