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Revision as of 01:34, 7 March 2003
Lübeck is a city in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It was a member of the Hanseatic League and is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.
Lübeck is situated at the Trave river. The old part of the town is an island enclosed by the Trave and the Elbe-Luebeck Canal. The district Travemuende is at the coast of the Baltic Sea. 216,100 inhabitants.
Willy Brandt and Thomas Mann were born in Lübeck.
Buildings
The old town is dominated by seven church steeples. The eldest ones are the Dom and the Marienkirche (Saint Mary), both from the 13th and 14th centuries. Once the town could only be entered by passing one of four town gates, of which the Holstentor (1478) is the best known. The entire old town has kept a medieval look with old buildings and narrow streets.
History
Originally Lübeck was inhabited by Slavic peoples, who settled at the Trave banks some kilometres outside the today town centre. They were subdued in 1158 by Heinrich der Loewe (Henry the Lion) who newly founded the city. In the 14th century Lübeck became the "Queen of the Hanseatic League" being by far the largest and most powerful member of this medieval trade organisation. In 1533 an armed conflict with Denmark led to the loss of the power.
Today Lübeck is the second largest city in Schleswig-Holstein.