Discover Sandau (Elbe)

Sandau (Elbe) brings together a late Romanesque brick basilica, historic monuments, the ferry’s special technology and a rest stop on the Elbe Cycle Route. When looking for a hotel in Sandau, you can first decide whether church architecture and exhibitions, places of remembrance or a cycling break should shape your travel plans.

Church and Romanesque architecture

St. Laurentius/St. Nicolaus is a three-aisled late Romanesque brick basilica and is located on the northern route of the Romanesque Road. The rebuilt church tower houses changing exhibitions and a winter church. The reconstructed church building also contains a permanent exhibition featuring images from the Second World War.

A lift provides access to all levels of the tower and to the viewing level on the fifth floor. From there, you can see across Sandau and the surrounding area. From April to October, the church operates as an open church and a church for cyclists. Guided tours of the church and tower last about 30 to 60 minutes and include a view from the bell tower. Check visiting options in advance so you can factor the seasonal opening period into your plans. Other nearby stops on the Romanesque Road include Havelberg, Schönhausen, Wust and Jerichow.

Historic buildings and remembrance

Sandau Town Hall is a half-timbered building more than 300 years old, with a double mansard roof. The Kaiser and War Memorial is a red marble obelisk illuminated by two Schinkel lanterns. A Polish memorial commemorates soldiers of the Polish First Army who crossed the Elbe in the last days of 1945. At the town hall, the focus is on the building’s design and roof; at the memorials, on their design and the act of remembrance.

The ferry: technology and planning

The Sandau ferry combines cable-ferry and motor operation and can run at both high and low water levels. In cable-ferry mode, it is attached to a 500-metre-long cable; the current pushes it 200 metres across the river. At high water, the ferry switches to motor operation. If you are including the crossing in your day’s itinerary, check the timetable in advance.

This makes the ferry a different focus from a visit to the basilica: here, the emphasis is on crossing the river, water levels and the mode of operation; there, on architecture, exhibitions and views. This distinction can help with trip planning without conflating the different experiences.

Elbe-Havel landscape and cycling break

The Elbe-Havel landscape around Sandau is of interest to cyclists and tourists. Café Ausspanne is a rest stop for cyclists on the Elbe Cycle Route and is known for its homemade sheet cakes. If you plan to stop there, check the current opening hours in advance, as business information can change. Alongside the church and historic buildings, the landscape and cycling are also distinct themes to explore.

Additional context: Stendal

For those wishing to extend their focus to the wider destination of Stendal, the town offers a different kind of excursion: at Stendal Zoo, visitors can observe more than 500 animals from 75 species up close. Children can feed and pet goats in the petting enclosure and then enjoy the adventure playground.

Discover more destinations: Storkau (Elbe), Havelberg, Zehrental, Hansestadt Werben, Stendal, Goldbeck, Hansestadt Seehausen, Wust-Fischbeck.

Back to the main travel overview: Stendal.