Bardowick: Cathedral History, Windmill and Natural Swimming Lake

Bardowick combines church and local history with walks through the surrounding area and a natural swimming lake. The cathedral’s architectural and art history spans several centuries; the historic walking route presents information at 13 stops. The SamBa tours take a different approach, while Bardowicker Strand, with its pool, sandy beach and sunbathing lawn, offers its own option for swimming and enjoying the outdoors. You can plan your stay around historic discoveries, a route or time for swimming—or spread these activities across several days.

Cathedral, Mill and Local History

At St. Peter and St. Paul’s Cathedral, the oldest parts of the present church building date back to before 1189. The bronze baptismal font was purchased in 1367 and is the cathedral’s oldest furnishing; the Marian altar was created around 1430. These dates bring the distinction between architectural history and individual works of art to life: the cathedral offers glimpses of different centuries.

Another historic site is St. Nikolaihof. Residential and agricultural buildings dating from the 14th to the 18th century are grouped around a Gothic chapel; the Eichhof grove borders the grounds. The “Gildehaus” local history museum documents the most important periods in Bardowick’s history. It is housed in a Lower Saxon two-post house that formerly served as the town hall. Together, these places offer different perspectives on local history: from a complex of buildings with a chapel to the former town hall, where the periods of Bardowick’s history are documented.

The gallery-style Dutch windmill is also one of the town’s historic landmarks. It was restored in 1994/95 and is now one of the few mills in Germany still operated commercially. At the annual Whitsun mill festival, its operation is demonstrated and explained to visitors. If you plan to include the mill in operation or the festival in your itinerary, check its current operating status and the event date in advance.

Walking Route and SamBa Tours

With the help of information boards at 13 stops, the historic walking route introduces visitors to Bardowick’s history. The figure “Pfennig” is modelled on a medieval Bardowick coin. The route thus combines information at different locations with a recognisable figure whose design references the coin. It is worth briefly checking for current route materials before planning.

The first SamBa tour starts at Bardowick Cathedral and follows a former railway embankment via the station towards Vögelsen, then on to Mechtersen and Radbruch. It returns to the starting point via the Dutch windmill in Bardowick. The 25-kilometre SamBa Tour 2 also starts at the cathedral. It passes the Dutch mill, then crosses fields and meadows to Neu Wittorf and, via a detour to Handorf Church, heads towards Lake Barum. The return to Bardowick is via St. Dionys and the old railway bridge. The tours therefore differ in their named stops and landscape features; the length of the second tour is also provided. Check current route conditions before planning.

Time for a Swim at Bardowicker Strand

Bardowicker Strand is an artificially created, natural-style outdoor swimming facility that operates without chemicals. It has a 50-metre pool and a separate area for babies and non-swimmers. The grounds also include a sandy beach with beach chairs and a large sunbathing lawn with designated football and volleyball courts.

Other facilities include a diving rock with one- and two-metre jump heights, a cable ferry and a 70 m² area for toddlers. Particularly strong water currents and built-in weirs provide additional water-play opportunities there. The natural swimming facility thus offers a range of areas and activities: from the swimming pool and diving rock to the sandy beach, sunbathing lawn and toddler area.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Radbruch, Amelinghausen, Barendorf, Hohnstorf (Elbe), Melbeck, Adendorf, Artlenburg, Nahrendorf

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