Travemünde

It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes subsequently strengthened it. It became a town in 1317 and in 1329 passed into the possession of the free city of Lübeck, to which it has since belonged. Its fortifications were demolished in 1807.

Travemünde has been a seaside resort since 1802, and is Germany's largest ferry port on the Baltic Sea with connections to Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia and Estonia. The lighthouse is the oldest on the German Baltic coast, dating from 1539. Another attraction of Travemünde is the Flying P-Liner Passat, a museum ship anchored in the mouth of the Trave.

The annual Travemünder Woche is a traditional sailing race week in Northern Europe. The annual Sand festival in Travemünde is known as the Sand World.

The 19th century seaside resort was evoked by Thomas Mann in Buddenbrooks. In Part II/5-12 the vacation of Antonie Buddenbrook is told, while in Part X/3 one summer of little Hanno. Travemünde is depicted by Mann as a place of freedom, happiness and – in the case of Antonie – love, in contrast with the problems of everyday life.

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  Kurhaus hotel, designed by architect Joseph Christian Lillie
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  Mouth of river Trave
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  Casino building, now Columbia hotel
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  Lübeck-Travemünde Strand station, displaying the time of the next Lübeck train
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  The fountain field, only 200 meters from the railway station, marks the beginning of the promenade.
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  Excursion boats and roofed wicker beach chairs
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  View of the town from the Trave promenade
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  The shopping street Vorderreihe
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  The bailiff's residence from 1551, one of the oldest buildings in town
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  View from the boardwalk, beach and Columbia hotel (the former Casino building)
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  River Trave with the tall sailing ship Passat and the town skyline
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  Ancient houses and the tower of St Lorenz Church
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  Cruise ship at Ostpreussen Quay, close to the Vorderreihe promenade

 

• Ida Boy-Ed (1852–1928 in Travemünde) a German writer, supporter of women's issues, she wrote widely read books and newspaper articles.
• Friedrich Naumann (1860–1919 in Travemünde) a German liberal politician and Protestant parish pastor
• Otto Ciliax (1891–1964 in Travemünde) an admiral during WWII, served in the navies of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany.
• Lilo Peters (1913–2001 in Travemünde) a North German painter and sculptor
• Peter Nogly (born 1947 in Travemünde) a German football coach and a former player
• Rötger Feldmann (born 1950 in Travemünde) a German comic-book artist, created the character Werner.
• Torsten Wohlert (born 1965 in Travemünde) a German former footballer