Krüzen: Wildlife Park, Landscape and Village History

Krüzen can be discovered from several perspectives: as a place with a long history, a landscape shaped by agriculture yet rich in variety, and a wildlife park that offers a specific destination for an excursion. This gives you a choice of different interests: you can observe animals, explore the village’s history or take a closer look at the landscape. The area around Krüzen and Juliusburg has a medium to high degree of structural diversity within its agricultural landscape. Features include a denser network of hedgerows, Heidberg north of Krüzen, and terrain that slopes down westwards towards the Augraben.

Animals and Landscape as Reasons to Visit

Krüzen Wildlife Park is home to wild animals as well as traditional and endangered domestic animal breeds. The park aims to breed rare wild animals and endangered domestic animal breeds for conservation. During a visit, you can observe animals at close range. The wildlife park is considered easy to explore on foot and offers child-friendly stations. With a little luck, you may also be able to hold some of the animals. The park is also considered a destination for an educational day out in a natural setting.

The landscape also has distinctive features: a denser network of hedgerows, Heidberg north of Krüzen, and terrain sloping down westwards towards the Augraben give structure to the agricultural surroundings. The agricultural landscape is therefore more than a mere backdrop: it is shaped by hedgerows, an elevation and a clearly perceptible slope. If you are weighing landscape against wildlife watching when choosing your destination, Krüzen offers both as different interests.

A Village with Several Historical Layers

Krüzen was first mentioned in 1230 as Crutsem in the Ratzeburg tithe register. The place name probably derives from the Old Polabian *krusina; its possible meanings are either “gravelly place” or “buckthorn”. St. Martin’s Chapel was built around 1300. From 1835 to 1968, the former chapel served as a schoolhouse with a teacher’s residence. This history reflects a change in use over more than a century.

In 1627, Krüzen was completely burned down by Tilly’s Croatian troops. Following a village development programme that ran from 1988 to 2000, Krüzen received the “Beautiful Village” award in 2009 and 2012. Prehistoric cup-marked stones are also part of the local heritage; they are located at the sites known as Krüzen’s “oolen Heed” and “Steinrie”.

A section of the historic Old Salt Route ran between Krüzen and Juliusburg in the direction of Lütau. The Old Salt Route is a holiday route and a long-distance cycling route; its course includes, among other sections, the B209 between Lüneburg, Lauenburg and Schwarzenbek. This places the village’s older history alongside the route’s present-day role as a cycling and holiday route.

The Wider Destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg

For a regional perspective, it is worth looking at the wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg. The district of Herzogtum Lauenburg has a forest cover of 26 percent and includes 48 lakes. In the wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg, you can hike, cycle and canoe, as well as swim in forest lakes. The Duchy of Lauenburg also has four signposted cycling tours, hiking trails, observation towers, educational trails and places to rest.

Choose your location based on the experiences that matter most for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Rondeshagen, Ratzeburg, Lankau, Alt Mölln, Mustin, Siebenbäumen, Roseburg, Gudow

View the wider travel overview: Duchy of Lauenburg.