THE MODERN USES OF HISTORICAL
BUILDINGS IN WISMAR
BY CALLIE R.
Welcome to Wismar, a mere hour-anda-half’s
drive from Hamburg by car or a
two-hour train ride away. This small port
city sits on the Baltic Sea and is home to
about 40,000 inhabitants. Take a daytrip
and stroll around its quaint cobblestone
streets and visit some of its medieval
buildings. The town was founded in
the 13th century, and although it was
damaged during the Second World War,
like everywhere else in Germany, a few
medieval buildings remain unscathed by
the attacks, resulting in the town center
being named a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
What I love the most about Wismar
is the new uses for their old buildings.
For example, the Nikolaikirche, a brick
Gothic-style church, is still a church,
but also has a small free library where
you can donate and take some used
books. It also has a play area for children.
The edges of the church now serve
as a museum with rotating exhibits.
When I was there last (in the spring of
2019), the current exhibit was portrait
photography of immigrants living in
Germany from all racial, cultural, and
religious backgrounds, also featuring
gay couples. Accompanying their
portraits were the stories of how they
came to Germany, what they like in
Germany, what they find difficult, what
makes them homesick, etc. It was really
refreshing to see an old church openly
flaunt its modern beliefs.
Another building in Wismar that has
multiple purposes (and is totally worth
the visit) is the Heiligen-Geist-Kirche,
which was built in the middle of the
13th century. The ceiling is intricately
painted, which makes it worth the visit,
but it also acts as a Fair Trade Shop and
a small café. In addition, next to the café
area (which is also donation-based and
self-service), there are mats and toys for
the kiddos.
The third must-see stop is another
church called Kirche St. Georgen. It is a
huge, mostly-empty brick church with
a few medieval wall paintings. What
makes this church worth the visit is the
ride up a glass elevator to the rooftop
for a beautiful look-out over the redroofed
city and the port. The church also
is an event location for weddings and
concerts.
Lastly, the
Welt-Erbe Haus, or World
Heritage House, looks modern from
the outside but, upon entering, you are
in a medieval merchant’s house, filled
with original half-timbered frames or
“post-and-beam.” It has ceiling paintings,
murals, hand-written books, and is
interactive with listening stations, touchscreens,
and more.
Other things to see include the Gewölbe
an der Runden Grube, a half-timbered
house (Fachwerk) that sits directly over a
river like a bridge, as well as the historic
market square and its fountain. In
addition to its historic buildings, though,
Wismar also has lots of really cute shops
and cafés. It’s a must-do daytrip!
The Modern Uses of Historical Buildings in Wismar
20 Special Theme: Venturing Forth