Bad Segeberg
Bats, horse-riding festivals, Wild West adventures – there’s a lot going on in the climatic health resort around the Kalkberg!
Start of September
Annual festival with a colourful mile of festive fun, hands-on activities and a stage programme from the lake promenade to the lido at Großer Segeberger See.
September
Amateur and competitive athletes compete on the 350-metre sprint course directly in front of the lake promenade. Follow the exciting races with fantastic entertainment from the lake promenade.
All year round
Not far from the city centre, you will find the “Großer Segeberger See” – a spectacular promenade for locals and visitors alike. The 7.5 km circular trail, the lido and the boat rental are popular attractions
All year round
Beautiful café in a prime lakeside location – perfect for lunch or coffee and cake time with a lake view.
The district town of Bad Segeberg, with a population of around 17,000, is located in the middle of the geographical triangle formed by Hamburg, Lübeck and Kiel and on the edge of the “Holsteinische Schweiz” Nature Park. Due to its strategically favourable location, Emperor Lothar III, on the advice of the missionary Vicelin, had a fortress built on the top of the Kalkberg in 1134 and a monastery at its foot. The former Siegburg castle gave the village its name and repeatedly played an important role in the power struggles of the following centuries.
The Karl May plays have made Bad Segeberg famous throughout Germany. For 70 years, they have been performed in the summer months in the open-air theatre against the backdrop of the region’s “Kalkberg” or “Chalk Mountain”. The exciting adventures of the blood brothers Winnetou and Old Shatterhand delight entire families; stars from film and television enrich the ensemble every year. Next door is home to the Indian Village with the rustic western town of LaGrande. There, visitors can stroll from saloon to sheriff, children discover shiny nuggets while panning for gold and an exhibition informs about “The World of the American Indians”.
Modern equestrians also meet regularly in Bad Segeberg for the “Horse Festival of the North”. They compete in various disciplines on the country showground and celebrate together. In addition, the annual state tournament with the championships in show jumping and dressage for Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg takes place on the race paddock.
Below the Kalkberg is a unique natural cave – Northern Europe’s largest natural bat roost. If you want to learn more about these special animals, why not visit the Noctalis bat centre with its interactive experience exhibition.
The “Große Segeberger See” lake with its lake promenade, open-air swimming pool and boat rental offers a high recreational value. Adjacent thereto is the health park with various clinics and other health-promoting facilities. At the “Aktivplatz” on the south shore of the lake, walkers can enjoy a Kneipp session, work out on outdoor equipment or simply relax. Active holidaymakers also make use of the numerous hiking and cycling trails, for example, along the Trave or in the Ihlsee and Ihlwald nature reserve.
The Karl May Games are an exciting Wild West adventure for the whole family. You can expect breathtaking stunts, spectacular pyrotechnics, a touch of romance and lots of fun. And all this in one of the most beautiful open-air theatres in Europe.
An interactive experience exhibition for young and old about little creatures that see with their ears – bats. With a torch in hand, you go on a voyage of discovery and even meet live animals.
The “Marienkirche” – one of the most important Romanesque buildings in northern Germany – stands directly on the market square in the pedestrian zone of Bad Segeberg’s town centre. Construction began in 1156. It was the first building ever in which the vault was created from brick. Details particularly worthy of a visit include the magnificent carved altar, built around 1515, and the bronze baptismal font from 1447.
Experience Bad Segeberg with a difference: With your own smartphone! With the free Future History App, you can immerse yourself in the moving history of Bad Segeberg with the tour “Bad Segeberg – Past and Present”. Pictures from back then show what it used to look like right here. “The History of the Jews in Bad Segeberg” sheds light on a tragic chapter in our history, and the “Art in Public Space” tour shows works of art, some of which are nationally known artists. Each tour leads you via integrated navigation to the individual stations, where informative text, image, voice and sometimes video files await you.
