There are many attractions to see in Emden, one of which is the historic port. Stroll along the waterfront and admire traditional ships and modern yachts floating on the water. The port is home to the impressive Emden Maritime Museum, which presents the history of the city and various ship models, among other things.
The city centre is full of well-preserved buildings, such as the Gothic Johann a Lasco Library, the impressive New Church with its distinctive bell tower and the elegant Renaissance Town Hall, a symbol of the city’s historical significance.
Also worth a visit is the Kunsthalle Emden, a modern art museum. For active people, a nice attraction is a bike ride along the Ems River or discovering the scenic Dollard Cycle Route, offering breathtaking views of the marshes and spits.
Location
Emden is a city in Lower Saxony (state), northwestern Germany. It lies near the Ems estuary and the North Sea coast of Ostfriesland (East Frisia).
Großes Meer (Great Sea)
East Frisia’s largest inland lake, the Große Meer, offers a wide range of water sports for the whole family, making it an exciting destination for active vacationers.
Those who prefer dry to wet conditions can explore the beautiful landscape with its idyllic rural scenery by bike or on foot. Particularly worth seeing are the many old churches and mills that characterize East Frisia and its small villages. The North Sea is also a short drive away and offers the perfect day trip destination.
Seenotkreuzer Georg Breusing
The rescue cruiser Georg Breusing has been a floating museum in the Ratsdelft (river delft) in Emden since 1988. Prior to that, the ship was stationed in the sea area off Borkum from 1963 until its decommissioning, rescuing 1,672 people from distress at sea or freeing them from danger.
Crossed Locks in Emden
The Kesselschleuse features four connecting water chambers arranged in a cross pattern, enabling boats to navigate between different canal levels. The lock system represents German engineering excellence through its precise mechanical operations and architectural design that connects multiple waterways.
The facility operates daily and allows vessels to transfer between the Ems-Jade Canal and Fehntjer Tief through a systematic water level adjustment process. This intersection of waterways enables boats to change direction by 90 degrees while simultaneously adjusting to different water levels.
Friesentherme Emden
The Friesentherme Emden is East Frisia’s largest sauna, wellness, and bathing complex. Six saunas with varying temperatures are available to guests in the sauna area. The centerpiece of the spacious sauna garden is the natural swimming pond.
Waterbeds, swings, and loungers offer the opportunity to relax, as does the wide range of services offered by the Friesentherme spa. The family-friendly pool features a 25-meter-long sports pool with starting blocks and a diving platform for athletic activities.
Johann a Lasco Library
The Johannes a Lasco Library was for centuries the book collection only of the reformed communitiy at Emden and just the last ten years we started to build up a compehensive special-library in the field of reformed protestantism.
Today the library is organized as a foundation or registered charity according to German law and belongs to the Reformed Church of Germany.
Dat Otto Huus
The small museum’s “Schmuckkabinett” (Court of Smiles) is dedicated to the German comedian Otto Waalkes, who was born in Emden, and his career.
East Frisia, the flat land, the mudflats, and the sea had a profound influence on Otto. Across the two floors of the museum, you’ll find a Frisian landscape, a dike with views of Frisian villages, and, of course, the Pilsum lighthouse, or rather, the Otto Tower. There are also props from Otto’s film “Catweazle,” among others, as well as a mini-studio.
Delftspucker
The Delftspuckers are located in the old port of Emden. The bronze statue is of three men leaning against a railing. One of them watches the bustle of the old town, while the other two look out over the port. At that time, the older men would meet nearby to chat and chew tobacco. Every thirty seconds, a strong jet of water emerges from their mouths.
Kunsthalle in Emden
The art gallery presents changing exhibitions on a surface of around 1,700 square meters. In 1986, STERN founder Henri Nannen opened a house in his hometown of Emden, where he gathered his collection, which consists mainly of classical modern art. Temporary exhibitions are held on art from the 20th and 21st centuries. There you will find both the great names of classical modernism and very contemporary art.
Freunde der Seefahrt e.V.
The Maritime Museum – Friends of Seafaring e.V. in Emden, Germany, has an ink in the maritime history and culture of the region. The museum houses a collection of nautical artefacts, ship models and historical tent tents that reflect the maritime traditions of Emden and the many different buildings.
De Vrouw Johanna
The De Vrouw Johanna windmill is a gallery-style windmill in Emden, East Frisia. The mill was built in 1804 on the Emden Wall, Emden’s early modern city fortifications. The Johanna Mill is a successor to a windmill that previously existed there. The mill is a listed monument and is owned by the city of Emden.
Since 1999, the German Foundation for Monument Protection, among others, has been supporting the preservation of the mill, allowing the first restoration measures to begin. During the course of the work, the windmill sails were rebuilt and the shell was gradually restored.
