Lauenburg (Lębork) – City History and the Łeba

River and landscape

Lębork lies in the Łeba–Reda pradolina. The Kashubian Lake District extends to the south, and the Żarnowiec Upland to the north. Together with the undulating, partly wooded slopes, they create a landscape that is clearly visible around the city. The Łeba flows through the middle of Lębork and is navigable. These geographical features give the city its distinctive setting, whether you are especially interested in nature, city views or historic sites.

Medieval traces and city history

Lębork’s city walls are well preserved and can be seen in several places. They were built between 1341 and around 1363 and were originally 1,220 metres long. Baszta Bluszczowa is also part of these fortifications: the surviving corner tower was built around 1363 during construction of the city’s fortifications. Part of the Teutonic Castle was already in existence by 1363. Visitors interested in the medieval city can pair these landmarks with the Muzeum w Lęborku. Its collections include subjects such as city and regional history, old art, archaeology and ethnography; a 3-D film about the medieval defensive system is also shown there.

In reconstructed towers No. 24 on ul. Derdowskiego and No. 27 on ul. Basztowa, exhibits include copies of medieval clothing and weapons, everyday objects, products of disappearing crafts, and works by local artists from earlier centuries. A visit to the fortifications can thus be complemented by insights into everyday life, craftsmanship and art.

Buildings from different centuries

The former outer bailey grounds are home to a mill dating from the 14th or 15th century, the so-called Miller’s House from the 19th century, and a salt storehouse from the 16th century. The town hall was built in 1900 in the Neo-Gothic style. Its stately council chamber features stained-glass windows showing the coats of arms of the local nobility. Townhouses on ul. Staromiejska and ul. M. Reja date from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries; their design is eclectic or influenced by Art Nouveau. The Church of NMP Królowej Polski, formerly Protestant, dates from 1870 and is also Neo-Gothic.

Another historic stop is the Sanktuarium św. Jakuba Apostoła, a Gothic fortified church. It is generally dated to the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries; 1345 is also cited, although this date is uncertain. The sanctuary is also the starting point of the Lębork–Łeba section of the Pomorska Droga św. Jakuba. It connects the apostles’ sanctuaries in Lębork and Łeba.

Routes through historic Lębork

The Trasa średniowiecznego Lęborka is a walking route that begins at the intersection of ul. Staromiejska and ul. Skłodowskiej and continues along the medieval city walls. For a city walk focused on fortifications, the route offers a clear historical connection. The Trasa Paula Nipkowa takes a different thematic approach: television-shaped signs mark buildings and places associated with Paul Nipkow. Small signs on posts and trees point the way between them.

Visitors looking for an overview of the city and its surroundings can take in views of Lębork and the surrounding landscape from the observation platform at Wieża Ciśnień. Together with the museum, fortifications and buildings of various kinds, this offers a range of options that can be tailored to personal interests in history, architecture or city views.

Other places in this area overview: Lebork, Bukowina, Wicko, Dymnica, Roszczyce, Łeba, Poraj, Żarnowska, Sarbsk, Lędziechowo, Łebień.

For the wider travel overview: Pomerania.