The Leer District is located in northwest Lower Saxony, where it borders the Netherlands. Waterways have always played a big role in life here, and they still do, with water buses and boat taxis providing a major means of transportation throughout the district.
Leer District Map
Towns & Villages in the Leer District
- Holtland
- Jemgum
- Leer
- Moormerland
- Neukamperfehn
- Nortmoor
- Ostrhauderfehn
- Rhauderfehn
- Schwerinsdorf
- Uplengen
- Weener
- Westoverledingen
The local capital on the Ems River, Leer, has got a number of interesting attractions for you. Evenburg Castle, which dates back to 1642, has been largely reconstructed. The beautiful 17th-century Haneburg Estate has been renovated, too, now housing a school and holding various public exhibitions. And each year one of North Germany’s largest fairs is held here, the Gallimarkt, originally a cattle market.
For a real taste of water culture, visit the Fen and Maritime Museum in Rhauderfehn. Or explore the old port of Weener on the Ems River near the Dutch border. And don’t miss the yacht harbor, seafood restaurants, and sea bathing areas of Jemgum in the northwest.
Oddly enough, one part of the district is disconnected from the rest, entirely surrounded by water. The offshore community of Borkum is in the North Sea on the westernmost of the East Frisian Islands. You may be surprised to find the town virtually free of automobiles; it is accessible only by ferry.
