St. Jürgen: Nature, Trails and Lübeck’s History

St. Jürgen combines Lübeck’s urban history with an expansive landscape of fields, meadows and water. To the south, a broad green belt stretches into the Lauenburg countryside. To the east, the Wakenitz River forms the boundary; its floodplains are part of a richly diverse nature reserve. For orientation, the southern green belt, the eastern Wakenitz and the historic address on Ratzeburger Allee are key landmarks. The Wakenitz and its floodplains provide a different character from the fields and meadows in the south.

Green Belt, Wakenitz and Trails

The Drägerweg is part of the well-developed hiking and cycling network in the Wakenitz and Falkenhusen landscape protection area. This means that, alongside the cityscape, the focus is also on a landscape that can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Boating and fishing are permitted in this landscape protection area. As the district’s eastern boundary, the Wakenitz connects the floodplain landscape with boating and fishing in the protected area. In St. Jürgen, the range of activities therefore extends from peaceful paths through the greenery to activities on and beside the water.

St. Jürgen Chapel and a Piece of Church History

St. Jürgen Chapel is the oldest church building in its parish. The present chapel was built in 1646 at its current location on Ratzeburger Allee, after the old chapel had been demolished in 1629. A tomb slab dating from 1391 now serves as the altar top. Several dates and the preserved connection between an older historical testimony and a later building make the chapel a prominent historical landmark in the district.

School Garden with a Garden Monument

The school garden in Lübeck’s St. Jürgen district contains around 2,000 different plant species. It has officially been designated a garden monument since 2017. Its seasonal opening hours are important when planning a visit: the school garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 1 to October 31. Practical experience of nature is also part of what this place offers, as school classes can grow their own vegetables there. In the school garden, the approximately 2,000 plant species are combined with the school classes’ vegetable cultivation and thus with practical gardening education. Plant diversity, monument status and horticultural learning come together at this specific destination.

Agriculture and Nature for Different Age Groups

Ringstedtenhof offers farm tours for children aged three and over. They can experience the plants and animals of a farm firsthand. In addition, it offers adults, teachers, families and groups activities focusing on agriculture, the origins of food, and nature and the environment. At Ringstedtenhof, the topics of agriculture, food origins, nature and the environment complement the direct encounter with the farm’s plants and animals.

For further orientation within the area, you can also find Travemünde and Lübeck.

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