KIEL
General
Information
History I
Sightseeing I
Practical I Hotels in Kiel
Kiel is the capital of the northern
German state of
Schleswig-Holstein
and is a major seaport city in northern Germany. It lies near
the eastern (Baltic) end of the Kiel Canal, which links the Baltic Sea
and the North Sea. Much shipping goes from Kiel to Denmark, Norway, and
Sweden. The city's other industries include shipbuilding; fish
processing; printing; and the manufacture of ceramics, machinery, and
precision instruments.
Near Kiel is the important
Nord-Ostsee-Kanal
(North-East Sea Canal). It shortens the trip around
Denmark by over 300 miles (480 kilometres). The canal lies in northern
Germany. It leads from Brunsbuttelkoog at the mouth of the Elbe River to
Holtenau near Kiel, the Baltic seaport after which it was named. A high
railroad bridge crosses the canal in Rendsburg.
The city itself is situated right on the Baltic Sea, on the tip of a
peninsula. Shipyards and seafaring sailors were always an integral part
of life here.
The biggest employer in the 250,000 strong city, strangely enough, has
nothing to do with shipbuilding. The universities are the major source
of income. Almost 30,000 students are enrolled in the
Christian-Albrechts-University, the University for Applied Sciences and
the Muthesius School for Art and Design.
Nord-Ostsee-Kanal
(North-East Sea Canal). It shortens the trip around
Denmark by over 300 miles (480 kilometres). The canal lies in northern
Germany. It leads from Brunsbuttelkoog at the mouth of the Elbe River to
Holtenau near Kiel, the Baltic seaport after which it was named. A high
railroad bridge crosses the canal in Rendsburg.
The city itself is situated right on the Baltic Sea, on the tip of a
peninsula. Shipyards and seafaring sailors were always an integral part
of life here.
The biggest employer in the 250,000 strong city, strangely enough, has
nothing to do with shipbuilding. The universities are the major source
of income. Almost 30,000 students are enrolled in the
Christian-Albrechts-University, the University for Applied Sciences and
the Muthesius School for Art and Design.
Kiel no longer resembles the romantic old port it once was. During
the Second World War, the city was almost completely
destroyed.
Buildings from the 1960's and ´70's, modern shipyards and a huge harbor
dominate the city today. Most tourists see Kiel as more of a stopover on
the way to Scandinavia, even though the long, sandy beaches right
outside the city definitely qualify as tourist material.
