Stralsund, Medieval Hanseatic port in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany.
Stralsund is a town on the Baltic coast in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, sitting on a peninsula between the mainland and Rügen island. The old center is dominated by three tall brick churches whose towers rise above the red roofs and narrow lanes of the medieval core.
The town received its city charter in 1234 and joined the Hanseatic League in 1293, which brought wealth through Baltic trade. After the Thirty Years' War it fell to Sweden in 1648 and only came to Prussia in 1815 after the Napoleonic wars.
The Ozeaneum at the harbor displays living sea creatures from northern waters in large aquariums and draws families who watch seals and penguins on the outdoor deck. The fish market at the harbor sells smoked herring on weekends following old Pomeranian tradition.
The train station sits at the edge of the old town and offers direct connections to larger cities in northern Germany. For crossing to Rügen visitors can take the bridge by bus or walk across the causeway, which takes about one hour.
The St. Mary's Church holds a 14th-century astronomical clock that still shows moon phases and planetary movements. In the vaulted cellar of the town hall medieval wine barrels remain in storage and can be seen during guided tours.
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