Ratzeburg: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Ratzeburg’s town island is closely connected to the water, while the cathedral dominates the skyline. The Lüneburger Damm leads onto the island from the west, and the Königsdamm from the east. Those choosing Ratzeburg as a destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.

Culture

Ratzeburg Cathedral is a remarkable example of Romanesque brick architecture in northern Germany. Construction began around 1165, and it was completed in 1220. The cathedral and the adjacent cathedral monastery preserve medieval and more recent art treasures, including choir stalls, a Gothic rood cross, a Passion relief and a Renaissance pulpit. The cathedral music programme provides musical events throughout the year.

The Duchy of Lauenburg District Museum presents 1,000 years of art and cultural history. Its collections focus on Christmas traditions, the 1950s and works by artists from the region. The museum is located on Palmberg between the cathedral and the A. Paul Weber Museum.

The A. Paul Weber Museum is located on the island in Lake Ratzeburg. In 20 rooms, it displays more than 200 works, including lithographs, and also includes a functioning lithography workshop. Special exhibitions focus on Weber’s graphics as well as works by other satirical and critical graphic artists.

The Ernst Barlach Museum Ratzeburg presents Barlach’s works in an interactive exploration of around 150 years of modernisation. The concept includes room installations, film projections and a large touchscreen. The island also features a multi-stage art walk leading to public artworks by established artists.

Townscape

Ratzeburg has a regular, checkerboard-style urban layout with the market square at its centre. It dates back to the Baroque reconstruction after 1693. A historical speciality of the town is Ratzeburg beer, known as Rommeldeus, which was formerly shipped across the Baltic Sea to Gdańsk.

Water and Trails

In Ratzeburg, visitors can sail, row, canoe, ride pedal boats and water bicycles, relax on beaches or take passenger cruises. The town island can also be circumnavigated on the water, offering views of the cathedral and the old town.

A cycling loop of around 40 kilometres begins in Ratzeburg and passes through the Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park. It offers lake views and leads to a birdwatching observation tower on Lake Mechow.

Further destinations: Seedorf, Salem, Römnitz, Alt Mölln, Mechow, Kittlitz, Ziehten, Fredeburg

For the higher-level travel overview: Duchy of Lauenburg.