Petersdorf on Fehmarn: Church, Beach and Culture

Petersdorf between Church Views and Dune Beach

Petersdorf on Fehmarn brings together two distinctive themes: St. John’s Church with its highly visible tower and the Fehmarn, Petersdorf bathing spot, with its shallow natural sandy beach and dunes. There are also cultural activities, a historic mill, a church tour across the island and a festival in May. Anyone looking to combine culture and coastline on Fehmarn will find several clearly distinct points of interest here.

St. John’s Church and Historical Details

St. John’s Church in Petersdorf dates back to the 13th century. Its 64-metre-high tower is visible up to 20 miles out to sea and served as a daytime landmark for ships in the Belt and Sound. Inside the church, visitors can see a particularly valuable 15th-century altarpiece, an old Gotland limestone baptismal font and a Gothic triptych from the 14th century. The triptych is considered a major work of Gothic woodcarving and panel painting. The church and adjacent cemetery are surrounded by 64 lime trees. For those interested in cultural history, the site combines the tower’s long-distance visibility, medieval architectural history and furnishings from later centuries.

Natural Sandy Beach and Shallow Sandbanks

The Fehmarn, Petersdorf bathing spot has a long, shallow natural sandy beach with dunes. The shallow sandbanks are suitable for swimming or snorkelling. Dunes and natural sand shape the landscape, while the sandbanks complement the shallow-water area.

Information Point and Cultural Centre

Petersdorf has an information point that is open around the clock and stocked with free informational material. The material helps visitors get their bearings in the village when different destinations are part of their stay. The Alte Schule Petersdorf is a cultural centre on the island. The Alte Schule regularly offers courses and gatherings as well as a wide range of events.

Süder Mill in Petersdorf

The Süder Mill in Petersdorf is a Dutch windmill built in 1893. With its construction date of 1893, it creates its own historical accent alongside the medieval church.

Church Tour Across Fehmarn

Petersdorf is part of the 41-kilometre church tour on Fehmarn. This tour allows visitors to see the island’s four historic churches in Landkirchen, Burg, Bannesdorf and Petersdorf. The route length helps organise visits to several churches geographically and divide them into stages.

Rapeseed Blossom Festival in May

The rapeseed blossom festival takes place in Petersdorf every year. When the rapeseed fields bloom in May, people celebrate for three days with music, performers and numerous stalls. The festival also includes the enthronement of the new rapeseed blossom queen and rapeseed blossom princess. The combination of music, performers, stalls and the enthronement shapes the festive character of the three-day event.

Discover More Places

More places: Orth on Fehmarn, Vadersdorf, Landkirchen, Presen, Fehmarnsund, Dänschendorf on Fehmarn, Altjellingsdorf and Püttsee.

Petersdorf on Fehmarn.