Discover Pries: Fjord, History and Culture

Pries between village history and the fjord landscape

Pries combines a long local history with a varied landscape on Kiel Fjord. The village was established around 1300 as a Slavic circular settlement. The Friedrich-Karl-Gotsch-Platz offers an illustrative insight into the village character: it is home to ten lime trees and a peace oak.

In the surrounding area, Falckenstein Beach and its surroundings are part of the “Zwischen Heischer Tal und Schilkseer Steilküste” nature conservation area. The largely preserved natural surroundings offer views of Kiel Fjord. The beach area from the Friedrichsort Lighthouse to Schilksee-Süd is also part of this nature conservation area. This allows travel plans to be tailored more closely to individual interests in landscape, water or history, without Pries losing its own village character.

History along the cultural route

The cultural route in Pries and Friedrichsort is approximately 1.5 kilometres long. One of its notable stops is the Church of the Good Shepherd, which was built in the Heimatschutz architectural style by Kuno von Pentz and inaugurated in 1911. The route offers a compact way to explore the district’s architectural history. For families with different interests, such a cultural section can be a good complement to a day by the water.

Friedrichsort Fortress also points to the region’s past. It was established near the village of Pries during the Thirty Years’ War under its original name, Christianspries, and is now Germany’s only preserved sea fortress. Parts of the two moats have survived to this day. In Friedrichsort, the public sculpture Wind Harp also recalls more recent art history: Max Schegulla created it in 1982.

Water, activity and special destinations

The “High Spirits” high ropes course in a natural and forest setting is located at Falckenstein Beach. Windsurfing courses are also offered there. From the Falckenstein SUP station, paddling tours follow the cliffs towards Schilksee; the Friedrichsort Lighthouse is a special destination along the way. Such activities offer various options for active days during your holiday, while the landscape itself provides the setting for quieter pursuits.

The Friedrichsort Lighthouse stands at the Friedrichsort Narrows north of the Kiel Canal. Together with the fjord landscape, the fortress and the beach, it creates a destination where nature observation, local history and water sports exist side by side. Once a year, the district centre in Pries-Friedrichsort is also transformed into a colourful festival mile. This recurring event complements the permanent attractions with a special occasion in the annual calendar.

Getting there and choosing a location

The accessible starting points may also play a role in planning your accommodation. The fjord ferry service regularly calls at the Friedrichsort landing stage; in summer, it also calls at the Falckenstein landing stage. At the Friedrichsort landing stage and Pries district centre stops, you can hire SprottenFlotte bicycles via an app. Depending on your travel plans, this means that ferry services and bicycle use can be considered as different ways of getting around locally.

The Kulturladen Leuchtturm is located in the centre of the northern Kiel districts of Pries and Friedrichsort. It offers a wide range of events and projects for adults and children. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house can therefore first decide whether the focus should be more on culture, landscape, water-based activities or a combination of these. For further destinations, you can also view Schilksee and Kiel.

To the higher-level travel overview: Kiel.