Attractions

In the 17th century Friedrich III had ordered to lay out a spacious Baroque pleasure garden of 15 hectares between the Schlei and Gottorf Castle, aiming to equal the Italian horticultural fashion en vogue at the time.

After the garden had been asleep for centuries, parts of the magnificent terraced grounds around the Hercules pond were reconstructed in 2005, based on the original plans.

Today the "green oasis" of Gottorf Castle with its ornamental hedges, fountain and water garden invites you to take a relaxing stroll and enjoy yourself.

If you like to learn more about the garden and its history – rent an audio guide! It will provide you with a lot of entertaining information about it. 

The Danewerk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Northern Europe‘s largest archaeological ground monument, is of significant importance for the history of the border region between Denmark and Germany.

Over the centuries, the imposing wall integrated itself completely into the landscape. It used to connect the Viking metropolis of Haithabu to the village of Hollingstedt an der Treene, secured the southern border of the old Danish Empire and guaranteed control of the Ox Route, an ancient trade route between the North and the Baltic Sea via Haithabu. Nowadays, the heart of the complex is the Danevirke Museum in Danewerk, a must-see southwest of the city of Schleswig.

www.danevirkemuseum.de

As one of the most beautiful and intact Schleswig-Holstein noble courts of the 17th/18th century, the dukes of Gottorf once used the Günderothschen Hof in the Friedrichsberg district as their guest accommodations. Today, its housing Schleswig’s municipal museum. If you like to find out more about Schleswig-Holstein’s fascinating historical and cultural development you should take some time to see its permanent exhibition.

Also worth visiting, not only for children, is its unique display of ancient toys shown in the attic and the presentation of historical teddy bears the Teddy Bear House lodged in a half-timbered side addition to the museum. Widely recognized, the Stadtmuseum also established a high reputation with its excellent contemporary photography exhibitions curated by the lively S-Foto Forum department.  

By the way: Shortly before Easter the annual spring market takes place in the Stadtmuseum’s beautiful yard – as well as the Christmas market in winter. Embedded into the ambience of the old aristocratic house both events are always worth a visit.

The Stadtmuseum Schleswig has its own free parking lot. If you come by train you can reach the museum in a ten-minute walk.  

www.stadtmuseum-schleswig.de

As far as architecture and age are concerned, St. Petri Cathedral is the city’s most important medieval monument. It is almost 900 years old. According to historians it was built around 1005, on the foundations of a previous building. Comparably, the tower was only erected in the 19th century and is relatively young. It is the town's landmark and even visible from afar. Among other things worth seeing you should visit the three-winged cloister, the so-called Schwahl, in which the popular Christmas Schwahlmarkt takes place every year.

Visitors also should take some time to see Schleswig’s famous wooden Brüggemann altar with almost 400 carved figures incorporating the narration of the Passion.

Founded in 1194 by Benedictine nuns, Schleswig-Holstein’s best preserved medieval monastery lies in Schleswig's old fishermen's settlement Holm.

In St. Johannis – still consisting of the monastery church, cloister, refectory and chapter room - true (monastery) treasures can be discovered. Around 250 guided tours are offered here every year. The monastery building complex with the bible garden is accessible to the public for free.

Any wedding couple looking for a stylish and unusual setting to “say yes” should definitely take a look at the spaces in the monastery. On special dates, civil weddings might also be held inside other rooms of the impressive scenery.

www.st-johannis-kloster.de