Lüneburg

Lüneburg (also Lueneburg or Lunenburg) is an attractive and historic town on the River Ilmenau, surrounded by the Lüneburg Heath in the North German state of Lower Saxony. The town lies about 50 km southeast of Hamburg and is the capital of the district of Lüneburg with a population of around 75,000 (2018).

Early history
Archaeological finds show that the area was known to Neanderthal hunters and, later, Bronze Age settlers. The town may have been that referred to as Leuphana by Ptolemy, but it was established as a town in 956.

Lüneburg was built on a salt dome which made the town important and wealthy in the Middle Ages until 1600 when it started to decline. Tradition has it that salt was first discovered by a hunter who shot and killed a wild boar bathing in a pool of water. When he hung its skin up to dry, he discovered it was full of white crystals – salt.

Lüneburg used to be overshadowed by the village of Bardowick to the north, which was a Slavic trading post. When Bardowick was destroyed by Henry the Lion in 1189, Lüneburg was granted town rights and took over the mantle as a trading centre. Its monopoly on salt production in Northern Europe quickly led to membership of the prestigious Hanseatic League – Lüneburg's salt was in great demand to preserve herring caught in the Baltic and North Seas. Initially salt was carted up the Old Salt Road to Lübeck, but was later transported by cog along river and canal. Lüneburg became very wealthy and, in 1371, threw out its princely ruler, the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and destroyed his castle on the Kalkberg. In 1392 Lüneburg became a free imperial town, a status which lasted until 1637. Much of the wealth stemming from the salt trade can still be seen in the town, which boasts many buildings from Lüneburg's medieval heyday.

Modern period
The demise of the Hanseatic League and the overfishing of herring during the 16th century led to Lüneburg's decline. New building ceased and Lüneburg survived relatively unscathed by war, which is why the town centre has largely managed to preserve its medieval character. However, the very mining that made Lüneburg wealthy and powerful has led to ground movements that have damaged some of the old houses or lead to them being a bit crooked.

Lüneburg lost its independence in 1708, becoming part of the Electorate of Hanover, and then passed through a succession of states, before becoming part of the Prussian province of Hanover in 1866. During the 19th century it became a Prussian garrison town, but otherwise faded from the limelight.

In 1945, Lüneburg stamped its mark on history again when Field Marshal Montgomery took the German surrender on the Timeloberg hill, just south of the town. The spot is out-of-bounds in a military training area. Lüneburg also hosted the Belsen trial against perpetrators of the crimes at Belsen and Auschwitz concentration camps. Heinrich Himmler, infamous leader of the SS, committed suicide in Lüneburg and was subsequently buried in an unmarked location in a nearby forest.

Unlike many towns in Germany, Lüneburg was spared during World War II and virtually all of its historical buildings survived. That said, many historic buildings had fallen into dangerous decay. And it has only been since the 1970s that the town has been gradually restored to the tourist attraction it is today.

In 1980 the saltworks finally closed, ending a millennium of salt mining tradition in the town. In 1990, 3 of the 4 barracks were closed and the university moved to the site of one of them.

Lüneburg today
Today, Lüneburg is thriving again as the economic and administrative centre of the region, with a strong tourist industry as the northern gateway to the Lüneburg Heath – a popular holiday and weekend destination, especially for the citizens of Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen. It also has a popular university, its 10,000 students bringing a vibrancy to the town, balancing nicely its historical setting.

Although salt has not been mined industrially since 1980, you can still enjoy its benefits in the two large salt baths in the Salü (see below). Small quantities of salt are still extracted and sold, for example, as souvenirs.

By air
The nearest international airport is Hamburg which is about 50 minutes' drive or 45 minutes train ride away. Other international airports include Hanover (1 hour 20 minutes) and Bremen  (1 hour 25 minutes). Lüneburg Airport is only used by light aircraft, ultralights, gliders and balloons.

By road
Since the building of the A 250 motorway in 1996, the town is only 40 minutes drive from Hamburg. To approach from the south and west, head for Hanover and take the A7 motorway to Hamburg. Come off at the Garlstorf exit and pick up the L 216 which reaches Lüneburg after 26 km.

Lüneburg is also on the B 4 federal road, 36 km north of Uelzen.

By foot
The Old Town (Altstadt) is quite compact and can easily be explored on foot.

By bus
There is a town bus network with 13 routes that all pass through the railway and central bus stations and all bar two pass through the central town square of Am Sande. Most routes run buses every 20 or 30 minutes between 05:00 and 19:00 on weekdays and then half-hourly to 21:00. Buses operate from 06:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays and from 13:00 to 20:00 on Sundays and public holidays every hour or half-hour. Otherwise there is a so-called ASM, i.e. mobile phone service. Some buses run out to the surrounding villages of Adendorf, Bardowick, Mechtersen/Vögelsen and Reppenstedt.

Lüneburg is also the departure point for many regional bus routes to, for example, the outlying villages of Deutsch Evern, Wendisch Evern, Embsen, Melbeck, Scharnebeck and destinations in the districts of Amelinghausen, Bleckede, Dahlenburg and Neetze. Other connexions run to the neighbouring districts of Winsen, Lüchow, Hitzacker, Lower Marschacht and Salzhausen. The regional bus service is part of the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) and is operated in the northern and western sectors by the CCG and in the southern and northeastern sectors mainly by the Osthannover transport company (VOG).

By car
Car access to the town centre is very limited, but there are numerous, well-signed, car parks just outside it. In particular, the Sülzwiese car park just north of the centre is free and from there it is an easy walk into the town centre.

Inner Altstadt
Most of the inner Altstadt is a pedestrian area and is home to many of Lüneburg's historic sights. The main attractions here are:



Outer Altstadt
The outer Altstadt, outside the main pedestrian precinct, also has many treasures. Chief among these are:



Events

 * Lüneburg In Bloom (Lüneburg blüht auf) and the spring market take place in April on the Sülzwiesen.
 * Town Festival (Stadtfest) – the town festival is in June.
 * Lunatic Festival – a charitable music festival on the university campus also in June.
 * Frommestraßenfest – festival in July.
 * Oktoberfest – on the Sülzwiesen in September.
 * Master Salter Days (Sülfmeistertage) at the beginning of October.
 * Historic Christmas Market around St. Michael's Church and Christmas Market with fairytale mile and gable lights on the market place in front of the town hall, in Grapengießerstraße and Am Sande square.

Drink
Beer is an often brewed locally in Germany. Most towns and regions have their own distinctive beers often only available in pubs, thus the importance of sampling local products when visiting different German towns and cities.

Although it is now brewed in Hamburg, Lüneburg's official beer, Lüneburger Pilsner, can be enjoyed in the many restaurants, bars and pubs of the town. However its production is relatively low, so it is not possible to buy bottled versions of this beer. Another star of the town is Moravia Pils produced at the Kronen-Brauhaus zu Lueneburg since 1485. Kronen (see "Eat" section) is a nice traditional pub which also has a brewery museum in the centre of the town. Unlike Lüneburger Pilsner, this beer can be bought in bottles in shops. Some pubs like Mälzer, right next to the Kronen brewery, also brew their own delicious beer served in ceramics mugs.

The Stint (Am Stint) used to be the street where all the nightlife was. This has changed as other pubs in the town established themselves, but is still a good place to go for a drink.

Schroederstraße is packed with terraces and is a central meeting point in the summer. Pubs include: Maxx, News, Toro, Comodo (brand new)



Dial code
The national dial code for Lüneburg is 04131.

Stay safe

 * Police. The central contact number for the police is 04131 290 and they are located at Auf der Hude 1 near the River Ilmenau, north of the Altstadt in Lüneburg. The emergency number is 112.

Go next

 * Amelinghausen, 25 km southwest, is a great base for exploring the Lüneburg Heath on foot or by bicycle. There is a leisure park around the lake of Lopausee for campers, caravanners or day trippers who want to chill out on the beach or hire boats on the lake.
 * Bardowick is a heath village just north of the town and home to the only cathedral on the Heath.
 * Bispingen is also a hub for Heath explorers and has the added attraction of the nearby Ralf Schumacher Go Kart track.
 * Celle, just over 1 hour south, is a charming timber-framed town with an impressive castle and British royal connexions.
 * Lübeck, around an hour to the north on the Baltic Coast has a medieval Altstadt and boat rides to Travemünde and elsewhere.
 * Hamburg, 30–40 minutes away is Germany's second city and biggest port. Apart from the River Elbe, it has an extensive network of waterways and more bridges than Venice!
 * Walsrode, some 50 minutes away, is famed for its amazing Bird Park (Vogelpark). Don't miss the incredible and amusing flight displays