Climbing the 133 steps to just below the dome of Waldemarturm offers a view across Dannenberg and the surrounding countryside. Dannenberg (Elbe) combines this viewpoint with local history, walks by Thielenburger See and its location on the Elbe Cycle Route. This gives you a choice of different ways to spend your stay.
Local history at Waldemarturm
The museum in Waldemarturm is housed in a defensive tower that was part of a medieval castle complex. Exhibitions across six levels illustrate the history of Dannenberg. The exhibition “100 Days in Rubber Boots” focuses on recurring floods that threatened Dannenberg. The museum also documents the “floods of the century” in 2002 and 2006. Another interactive permanent exhibition is titled “Don’t Be a Frog.”
Stairs must be climbed to visit the museum; it is not accessible to people with mobility impairments. Climbing to just below the dome involves 133 steps and offers a view across Dannenberg and the surrounding countryside. Guided tours of the museum and museum education programs can be booked on request and individually tailored by arrangement.
The town center also offers points of interest for a cultural and historical walk: it is home to well-preserved, carefully restored historic buildings. The cobbled shopping street has numerous small shops, many of them independently owned. The Tourist Information Office is in the entrance area of the information center in the Old Town Hall, Am Markt 5, 29451 Dannenberg.
Thielenburger See and the Dannenberg Marsh
The man-made Thielenburger See is close to the town center, covers more than eleven hectares and was created in the 1980s. You can enjoy long walks there at any time of year. There is also an adventure playground on the eastern shore where children can play.
The landscape around Dannenberg can also be explored beyond the edge of the Dannenberg Marsh: most of the town borders this Elbe floodplain. It is partly protected by dikes and used for agriculture, crisscrossed by numerous former river channels and nature reserves, and provides a habitat for many rare animal and plant species. The marsh is therefore a distinct landscape whose relationship to the town differs from that of the walking paths by the lake.
Cycling route and travel
Dannenberg lies on the 75-kilometer Section F of the Elbe Cycle Route between Hitzacker (Elbe) and Wittenberge. As the cycling network may change, it is advisable to check the current route before setting out. Dannenberg can be reached by both car and train.
Dannenberg Ost station is two kilometers from the museum in Waldemarturm; the Dannenberg central bus station (ZOB) is right by the tower. These distances are given as points of reference and do not describe a specific route. If you are traveling by public transport, check the connection and timetable for your travel date.
More to explore in the wider Lüchow-Dannenberg destination
In the wider Lüchow-Dannenberg destination, the Rundlingsmuseum Wendland in the circular village of Lübeln features a farmstead as an open-air museum. Traditional crafts are brought to life there in the pottery, forge, bakehouse and wheelwright’s workshop. The Hitzacker Archaeological Center is also an open-air museum: people were already using its grounds around 4,000 years ago. Three reconstructed longhouses and numerous interactive exhibits offer an insight into everyday life in earlier times.
Nature lovers may also want to visit the Göhrde, the largest contiguous mixed forest in northern Germany. The many protected areas in the Göhrde Forest provide habitats for numerous rare and endangered species. The Kulturelle Landpartie may also be useful for planning your visit: since 1989, artists and craftspeople have opened their farmyard gates and studios each year between Ascension Day and Pentecost, presenting their work over twelve days. Exact dates vary from year to year.
If you would like to include other destinations in the wider Lüchow-Dannenberg area, plan your connections to them separately.
Discover more destinations: Schnackenburg, Bredenbock, Küsten, Kassau, Clenze, Damnatz, Schnega, Luckau.
Back to the wider travel overview: Lüchow-Dannenberg.
