On the left bank of the Weser River is the town of Lemwerder, located right at the border of Bremen.
Whatever its geography, Lemwerder was the site of an epic battle on March 27, 1234 between the troops belonging to the Archbishop of Bremen fighting against the locals peasants known as the Stedingers.
After almost 800 years the reasons of their clash really doesn’t matter to your visit. Just come knowing that the St. Gallus Church (built 1299) was put atop on what is believed to be the mass grave of over 6,000 of the battle’s dead. Lemwerder’s St. Vitus Monument is also a reminder of the town’s battle.
Thankfully, there isn’t any more skirmishes in Lemwerder, leaving you to enjoy the town in peace. Which you’ll find at the Kapelle am Deich, or Chapel on the Dike. This little building is chocked full of history. One of the oldest buildings in town (built in 1260), it is an excellent example of early Gothic architecture, and has walls a meter & a half thick!
The Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche (Holy Cross Church) is a bit older, built in 1245 by the Cistercian Order. While it might have paintings from the 1720s and an altar from 1765, it is the medieval frescoes in this Gothic church that everyone should see.
Churches might be an excellent way to see how things were built during the Middle Ages, but the Ochtumsperrwerk is an excellent way to see how things were done in the 20th century. The town is quite proud of its movable bridge and lock. Heck, the Ochtumsperrwerk is why Lemwerder is the German Sluice Route.
The late 19th century gave Lemwerder the Schwarzer Leuchtturm, or the Black Lighthouse. This massive 22.5 meter structure, built in 1898, was used to light the way for Lemwerder’s fishermen for almost a century.
For the more seasoned traveler, Lemwerder might not sound like a whole lot. But, considering tourism is relatively new to this industrial area — I’d say, yes it does. Just take one of the marked bike tours (Lower Saxony‘s flat countryside is perfect for this) or the annual Drachenfest (Kite Festival) on the 3rd weekend of August, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
So, how about giving Lemwerder a chance? :-)
