The European Hansemuseum Lübeck
Cooperation partner of the European Hanseatic Ensemble
The Hanseatic cities in Northern Europe with Lübeck at the top were poles of economic wealth and middle-class prosperity. The Hanseatic League shaped politics, economy and society on the European continent. At the same time, the trade network of the Hanseatic League incited a diverse flourishing of culture – including music.
The European Hansemuseum, located in the north of Lübeck’s insular Old Town, stands on historical ground: the castle hill is one of the city’s earliest settlement locations and is closely linked to the history of the Hanseatic League as the richly laden merchant ships sailed north from the neighbouring harbour.
The museum area, which covers almost 8,000 square metres, connects the new museum building, awarded with several architectural prizes, with the lavishly restored Burgkloster, which was the seat of a Dominican convent until the 16th century. With its wall and ceiling paintings, the Gothic brick building is considered one of the most important monastery complexes in northern Germany and is often used as a charming backdrop for musical performances.
The permanent exhibition tells the history of the Hanseatic League in staged rooms based on research and in cabinets with valuable original objects from international museum collections. The exhibition offers guidance in four languages (DE, EN, RUS, SE) and is structured according to the most important trading centres where the long-distance traders had branches – so-called Kontore: Novgorod, Bergen, Bruges and London. The daring and rise of the merchants, life and trade in the Middle Ages, the defeats and battles, as well as the organisation and meetings of the Hanseatic League are vividly portrayed. The myth and legends that arose after the transition of the Hanseatic League to other social and economic forms are also discussed.
In cooperation with the affiliated Research Centre for Hanse and Baltic History (FGHO), through special exhibitions, discussions and lectures the Hansemuseum makes the lasting relevance of the Hanseatic League visible and opens up spaces for dealing with the past, present and future.
