Gettorf: Culture, Geotanium and Wildlife Park

Landscape and holiday ideas

Gettorf is part of the Eckernförde Bay holiday region. The landscape around the town is shaped by gentle contours formed by glacial terminal moraines. There are also plenty of reasons to explore: historical collections, St. Jürgen Church, Geotanium and the wildlife park. For families looking to combine several interests, the options range from history and crafts to hands-on experiments and encounters with animals. You can shape your stay around the experiences that interest you most.

Local history museum and 1869 mill

Gettorf’s local history museum stands beside a historic mill dating from 1869. In the Seidel Room, the museum displays objects from the 18th and 19th centuries. The coach house offers a different focus: it displays agricultural tools, as well as tools used in carpentry and blacksmithing, complemented by historic carriages from around 1925. Together, the exhibits represent different aspects of everyday life in the past, from tools to horse-drawn vehicles. The varied collections provide tangible ways to explore local history and traditional crafts.

Church treasures and pilgrimage history

St. Jürgen Church preserves several notable features: the baptismal font from 1482, the Marian altar from 1520 and the Gudewerdt pulpit from 1598. There is also a historic Marcussen organ dating from 1866. The dates show that the surviving pieces come from different periods. The history of St. Jürgen Chapel also goes back a long way: between 1460 and 1530, it developed into an important pilgrimage site in the duchy. Cultural and historical tours and tower climbs can be arranged at the church for groups of six or more.

Geotanium: hands-on geology

At Geotanium, geology is something you can experience firsthand. Visitors can pan for gold and dig up dinosaurs. There are also exhibits you can touch and experiments you can carry out yourself. This makes a visit different from a purely observational exhibition: the focus here is on trying things out and exploring with your hands. If you’re looking for an interactive activity during your stay, Geotanium offers a clear contrast to the historical collections and features in the museum and church.

Animal encounters, even in bad weather

At Gettorf Wildlife Park, free-flight aviaries and walk-through enclosures let you get close to the animals. The experience is different from Geotanium: here it’s all about encounters with animals, while there the focus is on geology and hands-on experiments. The tropical halls and walk-through animal houses are well suited to visits in bad weather. This means the wildlife park can still be considered as a possible activity when weather is a factor in your plans.

Getting here and choosing accommodation

When looking for accommodation in Gettorf, you can start by considering whether cultural history, hands-on activities or encounters with animals will shape your stay. Geotanium also has specific directions for getting there: it is about 100 metres from Gettorf train station and can be reached by car via the Gettorf exit on the B76. If the hands-on museum is one of your planned experiences, you can factor this information into your travel plans.

The wider regional setting

In the wider Rendsburg-Eckernförde destination, the district has 55 kilometres of Baltic Sea coastline and a signposted cycle network spanning 1,000 kilometres. These details describe the broader regional setting and offer additional guidance if you want to extend your travel plans beyond Gettorf’s attractions.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Strande, Holzdorf, Fockbek, Kosel, Schönhorst, Meezen, Schülldorf, Aukrug.

Back to the main travel guide: Rendsburg-Eckernförde.