Discover Petersdorf: Church Art, Beach and Island Culture

Petersdorf combines impressive church art, a distinctive beach landscape and vibrant culture to create a varied holiday destination on Fehmarn. Families looking to combine different interests will find inspiration here for peaceful discoveries, days by the water and events with a regional character. When choosing a holiday apartment in Petersdorf, you can therefore consider whether your holiday focus should be more on culture, nature experiences or seasonal festivals.

St. John’s Church and Important Works of Art

One of Petersdorf’s central cultural attractions is St. John’s Church. It dates back to the 13th century and has a 64-metre-high tower. This can be seen from up to 20 miles out at sea and served ships in the Belt and Sound as a daytime marker. The church therefore tells not only of religious and artistic history, but also of the importance of distinctive buildings for navigation on the water.

Inside, several remarkable furnishings can be seen: a particularly valuable 15th-century altarpiece, an old Gotland limestone font and a Gothic triptych dating from the 14th century. The latter is considered a masterpiece of Gothic woodcarving and panel painting. The church’s surroundings also have their own character. The church and the adjoining cemetery are surrounded by 64 lime trees. For visitors who enjoy discovering historic spaces and works of art together, Petersdorf thus offers an unusually tangible cultural theme.

Natural Sandy Beach and Water-Based Activities

The Fehmarn, Petersdorf bathing area includes a long, shallow natural sandy beach with dunes. The shallow sandbanks are suitable for swimming or snorkelling. Those who want to alternate between a culture-focused day and time by the water when planning their trip can take these different experiences into account when choosing their holiday destination. The landscape of sand, dunes and shallow stretches of water creates a clear contrast with the detailed furnishings of St. John’s Church.

Cultural Centre, Windmill and Rapeseed Blossom Festival

The Old School Petersdorf is an island cultural centre. Regular courses and gatherings, as well as a wide range of events, are held there. This makes it another place of interest for visitors who want to include cultural activities in their travel plans alongside excursions and days at the beach. The Südermühle also contributes to the character of the village. It is a Dutch-style windmill built in 1893.

A seasonal highlight is the annual Rapeseed Blossom Festival. When the rapeseed fields bloom in May, three days of celebrations take place with music, performers and numerous stalls. The festival also includes the enthronement of the new Rapeseed Blossom Queen and Rapeseed Blossom Princess. For families, this festival can be a special reason to travel, while the other attractions provide interesting holiday themes independently of this date.

Explore Petersdorf and Plan Your Trip

Petersdorf is part of the 41-kilometre church tour on Fehmarn. On this tour, the island’s four historic churches in Landkirchen, Burg, Bannesdorf and Petersdorf can be visited. Those who want to combine several church-history destinations have a clear thematic framework for planning excursions. For initial orientation, Petersdorf also has an information point open around the clock with free informational material.

When searching specifically for a holiday apartment, it is worth establishing your preferred travel rhythm: Should the focus be on the Rapeseed Blossom Festival in May, the historic churches, or swimming and snorkelling at the bathing area?

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare Petersdorf with other places as well, you can continue your orientation here: Sulsdorf, Katharinenhof, Presen, Meeschendorf, Dänschendorf on Fehmarn, Puttgarden, Orth on Fehmarn and Bannesdorf.

For the higher-level travel overview: Fehmarn.