Discover Kuddewörde

St. Andrew’s Church is a specific historical landmark in Kuddewörde. The wider travel destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg adds forests and lake landscapes, trails, museums and regional cuisine to the town. This lets you choose between a stay focused on Kuddewörde and exploring other places in the district.

St. Andrew’s Church: Construction and furnishings

St. Andrew’s Church was built around 1500 from fieldstone and brick. Its furnishings include returned medieval carved figures, figures of the apostles from the late 17th century, a crucifix from around 1500, a Last Supper painting from the late 17th century, and a Madonna and Child from the 18th century. Comparing the dates makes the development tangible: the building originated around 1500, while some of its furnishings date from later centuries. Its architectural history and artworks thus offer different perspectives on the same building.

Mill history and food in the Duchy of Lauenburg

The Grander Mill, a historic grain watermill, is located in the Duchy of Lauenburg and was first documented in 1248. Its surviving features include a weir, an old mill wheel and millstones. The mill was restored and listed as a historic monument in the 1980s. Its historic mill character meets a gastronomic use: small, rustic dining rooms, clay-plastered walls, old paving, mill equipment, and historic prints and pictures shape the atmosphere. Before planning a visit, check whether dining there is currently possible.

Forests, lakes and nature park

In the Duchy of Lauenburg district, 26 percent of the area is forest, and the district also includes 48 lakes. The Sachsenwald, Schleswig-Holstein’s largest contiguous forest, is also located here. The Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park lies at the heart of the duchy. It measures about 35 by 17 kilometres and provides a habitat for kingfishers, white-tailed eagles and cranes, among other species. The Schaalsee landscape lies in the east of the duchy: Lake Schaalsee is considered northern Germany’s deepest clear-water lake, with its deepest point 72 metres below the water’s surface.

The nature park has hiking trails, observation towers, nature trails and places to rest; it has been designated a protected area for visitors to enjoy since 1960. Possible activities include hiking, cycling, canoeing and swimming in the forest lakes. Watching waterbirds is a highlight at the observation tower by Lake Mechow; with a little luck, you may also spot a white-tailed eagle there. Nature experiences range from getting active on signposted trails to observing wildlife.

Trails, museums and regional cuisine

Those who enjoy walking will find the European long-distance hiking trails E1, E6 and E9 in the Duchy of Lauenburg. They cross the region from north to south via Ratzeburg, Mölln and Lauenburg. The Old Salt Road long-distance cycle route offers a different perspective: it runs from Lauenburg to Lübeck along the Elbe-Lübeck Canal. There are also four signposted cycling routes in the nature park. One possible canoe route runs from Lake Schaalsee via the lakes of Lauenburg and the Wakenitz to Lübeck; local navigation restrictions may vary.

Cultural attractions are also spread across several towns: the Elbe Shipping Museum in Lauenburg/Elbe features the interactive, three-storey exhibition “Human-Model-Machine” about shipping. Visitors can take part at the models and hands-on stations. The Duchy of Lauenburg District Museum in Ratzeburg focuses, among other things, on the history of the Dukes of Lauenburg and the inner German border. The four-week-long Summer of Culture on the Canal takes place every year in summer; check the current programme for your travel year.

Regional cuisine includes country and farm cafés, known for their homemade cakes made with regional products. Labenzer Stolz coffee roastery roasts coffee using a traditional, aroma-preserving, long-duration drum-roasting method. Together with the Grander Mill’s dining offering, it provides a culinary counterpoint to hiking routes, lakes and museum visits.

Choose where to stay

Büchen junction station connects the district to the long-distance rail network via the Hamburg–Schwerin–Berlin and Lübeck–Lüneburg lines. Check current timetables separately and base your further plans on the places you actually want to visit.

Discover more destinations

Rondeshagen, Wohltorf, Müssen, Klempau, Mechow, Lauenburg Lakes, Nusse, Fredeburg

Back to the overview of the wider travel destination: Duchy of Lauenburg.