Glückstadt

North side of Glückstadt harbour

Glückstadt is a town of 11,000 people (2018) in South Holstein. It is a stop on the Deutsche Fährstraße (German Ferry Road) theme road and on the Elbe Cycle Route.

Understand

History

Glückstadt was founded in 1617 on the marsh lands along the Elbe by the Duke of Holstein, King Christian IV of Denmark. He had levees, fortifications and a ducal residence built. Its name translates to English literally as "Luck City" or "Fortune City". As Christian IV promised the settlers tax exemption and freedom of religion, Glückstadt soon became an important trading centre, intended to compete with the Imperial city of Hamburg, located upstream on the Elbe. After the king had interfered in the Thirty Years' War, the town was besieged for 15 weeks in 1627/28 by the united Imperial and Catholic troops under the command of Albrecht von Wallenstein and Count Tilly, though without success.

In 1649 Christian’s son and successor, King Frederik III of Denmark, moved the seat of the Holstein administration to Glückstadt, and the duchy became known as Holstein-Glückstadt. In 1773 the town became the capital of all Holstein lands, when the lands of the Holstein-Gottorp line were incorporated. During the War of the Sixth Coalition in 1814 Glückstadt was blockaded by the allies and capitulated, and its fortifications were demolished. In 1830 it was made a free port.

Holstein-Glückstadt remained a possession of the Danish Crown until its defeat in the Second Schleswig War of 1864. It was occupied by Austria, but incorporated into the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein in the aftermath of the 1866 Austro-Prussian War.

Get in

By train

• 1 Bahnhof. 

By boat

There is a ferry across the river Elbe which carries cars, pedestrians and bicycles.

See

Glückstadt Market square

• 1 Detlefsen-Museum.  
• 2 Wasmer-Palais.  
• 3 Palais für aktuelle Kunst. Contemporary art museum.  
• 4 Rathaus (town hall).  
• 5 Wasserturm Glückstadt.  

Do

• 1 Fortuna Bad, Am Kommandantengraben 15, ☏ +49 4124 2594. M-F 06:00-19:00, Sa Su 08:00-18:00. Leisure pool with giant slide, torrent, bubble loungers and massage jets. A swimmer pool, a diving poola fun pool and a paddling pool. All ages. 

• 2 Docke-Glückstadts Fischpark, Am Außenhafen. An amusement park with a fish theme. A playground, a nature trail and a skating course are available for children and teenagers. 

Sleep

Campsites

• 1 Wohnmobilparkplatz Pentzstraße / Glückstadt, Park & Ride-Platz, Pentzstraße, 25348 Glückstadt. A place to park your caravan/RV - no facilities other than parking. Free. 

• 2 Elbdeich-Camping-Kollmar, Kleine Kirchreihe 22, 25377 Kollmar (In Kollmar some 11 km (6.8 mi) away), ☏ +49 4128 300, info@elbdeich-camping.de. 1. Apr. - 31. Okt.. Has sanitation facilities as well as washing machines and driers. 

• 3 Fährhaus Hodorf, Dorfstraße 14, 25569 Hodorf, ☏ +49 157 72660179, info@faehrhaus-hodorf.de. WiFi available, they have their own pond for swimming. Site for a caravan/RV 15,- € per night. 
• 4 Wohnmobilstellplatz Familie Hink, Siethwende 14, 25576 Brokdorf, ☏ +49 4858 363. ganzjährig. . €10 / 2 persons. (updated Mar 2021)

• 5 Wohnmobilparkplatz am Außenhafen Elbe, Nordermole/Außenhafen, Am Hafen, 25348 Glückstadt. Minimal facilities, situated in a flooding-prone area. €10 per day.