Fascinating Great Petersgrube

Today we're exploring a significant part of Lübeck's UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, the Große Petersgrube for Lübeck ZWISCHENZEILEN . We'll delve into the city's architectural past, pay a brief visit to the Lübeck Academy of Music , and finally take a break just around the corner on the Obertrave. Let's go!

The first buildings erected in the Große Petersgrube in the 12th century were purely warehouses. The merchants lived on their ships. Later, so-called "Hangelgeschosse" (meeting floors) were added, where the merchants' servants lived. The restored facades of this unique street represent almost all the architectural styles that were built in Lübeck.

Style guide for beginners

We start below St. Petri Church , which was built as a Romanesque basilica from 1227 onwards, and follow the street towards Obertrave. You can recognize Romanesque buildings, for example, by the rounded arches of the windows and friezes. There are no original architectural elements or buildings of this style preserved in Lübeck. However, the north facade of the Löwen-Apotheke (Lion Pharmacy) , which we recently visited, was rebuilt in the Romanesque style after World War II. And at the cathedral, Paradies ) – also rebuilt . Romanesque details such as horizontal and staggered rounded arch friezes, rosettes, and keyhole arches are clearly visible there.

The Gothic architectural style arrived in Lübeck with merchants traveling the trade routes through Europe. They were particularly taken with the elegant style of the Gothic cathedrals in and around Paris. The soaring lines, steep roofs, and pointed-arch windows created a light and airy feel. St. Mary's Church, by the way, is THE prime example of a Gothic brick church, commissioned and financed by Lübeck merchant families. In the upper part of Große Petersgrube, there are beautiful examples of secular buildings exhibiting Gothic features, such as house number 7 with its pointed-arch portal. The hall windows on the upper floor are set in segmental-arched blind niches. House number 15 has a Gothic gable. You can see another such stepped gable further down the street at house number 25, a former hall house, whose facade of red and black-glazed bricks features Gothic pointed arches. Because plots of land in Lübeck were usually deeper than they were wide, builders only allowed the narrow facade facing the street to display their wealth and their sense of modern trends. If you look behind the facade, you'll notice that there are often no rooms behind the upper windows. Sometimes, even back then, people showed more than they actually had! The Gothic period, by the way, lasted from about 1220 to 1500.

Renaissance style, which followed the Gothic , is recognizable in buildings No. 4 and No. 10. Horizontal divisions, round arches, obelisks, and volutes were typical of this period. The Renaissance can be roughly dated from 1500 to 1650.

During the Baroque and Rococo periods between 1650 and 1770, straight lines virtually disappeared. Rich ornamentation and stucco work became ubiquitous. House number 9 is a prime example of the Baroque style, which only played a significant role in Lübeck for about 50 years. Characteristic features include the curved gables and the round-arched sandstone portal. Houses number 21 and 23 represent the late Rococo period. House number 21 houses the main entrance to the Lübeck Academy of Music . This building is Lübeck's only completely preserved grand bourgeois house from the late Rococo period. Built in 1776, it now has a structural story designed to prevent the houses from sliding down towards the Trave River.

In the Neoclassical period (1750-1850), after all the pomp, there was a longing for clear and austere forms, and antiquity was once again taken as a model. Examples include houses number 12, 13, 17-19, 27, and 29. House number 19 contains Lübeck's only completely preserved Empire-style hall. The two bronze lions that now stand in front of the Holsten Gate originally belonged to this building.

The Lübeck Academy of Music

The Lübeck Academy of Music occupies a large portion of the historic buildings on Große Petersgrube. A total of 22 houses were renovated and combined into a cohesive complex over a period of 15 years. In 1984, the famous Lübeck coin hoard discovered during the demolition of the house at An der Obertrave 16. The approximately 24,000 coins had been hidden between 1533 and 1537 in a cavity beneath the floorboards, packed in linen bags inside a simple wooden box. 23,228 silver and 395 gold coins were recovered, providing insights into the trade and commerce of Lübeck's merchants.

Romeo & Juliet – The Lovers

My favorite little gem in Große Petersgrube is the gate of house number 19. For over 150 years, Romeo and Juliet have been hiding there, whispering sweet nothings to each other. Romeo wears a period-appropriate headdress, Juliet has her eyes closed. Above their heads are two birds and a pineapple. The birds symbolize love, the pineapple represents prosperity and luxury. It is said to bring good luck to stroke the lovers' heads.

Break at the Obertrave

That was a barrage of information, and it's time for a break. You have a whole host of options for relaxing along the Obertrave. For example, at Kartoffelspeicher (Potato Warehouse at Obertrave 6 , you can have your potato topped with a wide variety of ingredients. Whether vegan, vegetarian, or with meat, the selection is huge. They cater to your individual needs. For a "Little Sweetie" or a specialty coffee, the Blaupause Cafébar at Obertrave 12 the place to be. Whichever you choose, the view of the Trave River and the historic salt warehouses is magnificent. Imagine the relaxed people strolling by, the sounds of a cello drifting from an open window of the music academy. Sometimes music even drifts from the water, or someone is dancing the tango. It doesn't get much better than this.