Kiel: capital of sailing ships and seafood delicacies

Seaport Kiel was founded in the 13th century upon the order of earl Adolf IV Holstein. After just a few decades the city joined the Hanseatic League. With the city being so advantageously located in Kiel bay, Denmark, Austria and Prussia showed their interest in it, however Germany managed to hold control over the important trade port. Establishment of a naval base resulted in a considerable growth of population at the end of the 19th century.

The oldest preserved building in Kiel is church of St. Nicholas. It was constructed in the 13th century in gothic style, however further reconstruction gave its façade a neogothic look. Inside, your attention will be drawn by the 15th century altar and 18th century ambo. An unusual bronze statue of an angel at the church won’t leave you indifferent either. The angel is standing on a wolf, with a sword in his hand. This work belongs to German expressionist Ernst Barlach and is known as “The Fighter of the Spirit”. Holstenstrasse is close by – one of the longest trade streets in Germany. The town hall was built in 1911 opposite the Opera building on the bank of the Kleiner Kiel lake. By the way, the town hall tower with views on the city and fjords was built after the tower of St. Mark basilica in Venice. You can climb the top of the 106-meter-tall tower accompanied by a guide and excursion.

However main places of interest in Kiel, similar to its history, are connected with the sea. The city is situated on the Kiel Canal that has been connecting the Baltic and the North sea for 120 years. It is one of the busiest canals in the world competing in utilized capacity with the Suez and Panama canals. Twice, in 1936 and 1972, Kiel hosted sailing sports competitions within the Olympic Games. For 125 years thousands of yachts arrive in Kiel in the last full week of June. “Kiel Week” is the largest sailing regatta in the world. The festival that annually gathers the best world yachtsmen and around three million spectators is considered the largest summer event in Northern Europe! Besides competitions, regatta guests are in for parades of old sail ships and modern motor cutters. The festival finishes with grand fireworks. Actually, you can admire the port and cruise liners in Kiel any other day, sitting in one of the numerous cafes on the Kiellinie embankment.

Kiel’s traditional cuisine is based on fish and seafood. In May the World Day of Fish Sandwich (Fischbrötchen) is celebrated on the Baltic seaside of Schleswig-Holstein region. It is the most popular local dish – fresh crispy buns with eel, mackerel, herring or pickled salmon. Upon your wish you can take an excursion to a fish factory or a smokehouse on the same day and go for a ride on a fisherman’s boat. Kiel sprats, smoked on beech or alder, are equally famous. Those with a sweet tooth can buy souvenirs in the exact same packaging – “chocolate sprats”. Gourmets are attracted by oysters, crabs, shellfish and vendace – a small fish from salmonids. It is very demanding towards the quality of the water, and lakes of Schleswig-Holstein satisfy it completely. Vendace is served from May to September, cooked on the steam or grilled, smoked or pickled. But it is not only the fish that Kiel residents eat. Holstein ham Katenschinken has been in demand in Germany and beyond for several centuries. During this entire time production technology remains unchanged. Ham acquires its special taste and soft consistence thanks to salting, spices and long cold smoking on beech smoke. It takes four months for a whole gammon to get ready. In restaurants and bars pay attention to the sign “Schleswig-Holstein… where life tastes good!”. This way authorities mark places with at least 50% of local produce. There are a lot of fantastic restaurants in the region, 16 of them awarded with prestigious Michelin stars. Almost all through the year you can witness a celebration dedicated to some product or other: in May you’ll be served dishes from mutton; in June – flounder; in July “Gastronomic Mile” opens on the embankment where food is cooked in the open air; in August you just have to try the crab soup; the main characters of September are cabbage and carp; while in October everyone celebrates Crab Days, cooked traditionally as well as in pizza or ice cream.

A very important event in the cultural life of the city is the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. Classical and jazz musicians perform during July and August in concert halls, churches, castles and parks. The main folk celebration in Kiel is the Lighthouse Day, or Signal Fire Day (Biikebrennen). According to the legend, they started lighting fires on a large scale in this vicinity 2000 years ago, when sacrifices were offered to Vodan, the god of the local Frisian tribe. Later local women would start fires on the shore and on all nearest islands to light up the way to their whaler husbands. According to the tradition, on February 21, a fire is made in Kiel, with a straw scarecrow burned on it, and then citizens continue celebrating in restaurants with hot punch and lavish dinner.

You definitely have to come to Kiel in summer to see the city in all its magnificence during the regatta – with majestic sailing ships and elegant yachts. But if you want to discover the city in quietness, then you will get lots of pleasure watching ships in Kiel Canal and enjoying seasonal seafood in local restaurants in any season.