Historic Centres of
Stralsund and Wismar (2002)
Germany
The medieval towns of Wismar and Stralsund, on the Baltic coast of northern Germany, were major trading centres of the Hanseatic League in the 14th and 15th centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries they became Swedish administrative and defensive centres for the German territories. They contributed to the development of the characteristic building types and techniques of Brick Gothic in the Baltic region, as exemplified in several important brick cathedrals, the Town Hall of Stralsund, and the series of houses for residential, commercial and crafts use, representing its evolution over several centuries.
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Wismar and Stralsund, were leading centres of the Wendish section of
the Hanseatic League from the 13th to 15th centuries and major administrative
and defence centres in the Swedish kingdom in the 17th and 18th centuries,
contributed to the development and diffusion of brick construction techniques
and building types, characteristic features of Hanseatic towns in the Baltic
region, as well as the development of defence systems in the Swedish period.
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Stralsund and Wismar have crucial importance in the development of the building techniques and urban form that became typical of the Hanseatic trading towns, well documented in the major parish churches, the town hall of Stralsund, and the commercial building types, such as the Dielenhaus.
It should be noted that Stralsund and Wismar are located at a certain distance from each other. Wismar is located east of Lübeck, and Stralsund northeast of Rostock, opposite of the island of Rügen, both places in the former German Democratic Republic.
In 2007. two different stamps were jointly issued by Latvia and Germany, featuring World Cultural Heritage Sites from the Hanseatic League relations of the two countries. Scans by courtesy of Mr. Leonards Naglis (Latvia). Below are shown the "Town Hall of Stralsund" and St. George Church, Wismar. The Latvian issue can be seen on Latvia, Riga.
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Germany 2007. Town Hall of Stralsund, and St. George Church, Wismar.
Latvia 2007. Similar issue from Latvia.
Other Hanseatic cities in Germany include Bremen and Lübeck. They are all described on this site.
Sources and links:
Other World Heritage Sites in Germany (on this site). Inactive links are not described on stamps. Please refer to the UNESCO-listing, section Germany for further information about such sites.
Revised 10 sep 2007 |
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