Krempe: Historic Town and Marshland

Krempe lies in the Kremper Marsch, within the Elbe marshes north of the Lower Elbe. When choosing a destination, historic buildings and trails through the marshland come together here. You can focus your stay on the town’s architecture, a short loop through the historic town center, or longer hiking and cycling routes.

Renaissance, Church and Fortress

The historic town hall was built in 1570 and is one of Schleswig-Holstein’s notable Renaissance buildings. St. Peter’s Church also offers its own perspective on the history of architecture: the well-preserved, three-aisled Hansen church was built between 1828 and 1832. F. C. Heylmann built it to plans by Christian Frederik Hansen. Its tower features simple classical forms and is crowned by a lantern.

In its final stage of development, Krempe Fortress had six bastions and two ravelins. Its wall was 4.5 meters high, and the moat was 25 meters wide. Traces of the fortifications remain at two locations: a section of the former moat is preserved in the town park, and Mühlenberg marks the site of the former southeastern bastion. If you’re interested in the town’s history, you can link these sites with a walk along streets that formed the town center during the fortress era.

Explore the Town and Marshland on Foot

The 1.5-kilometer “Historic Town Center” loop leads through the streets of the former center. The five-kilometer “Around Krempe” circular trail offers a different perspective: it runs along the edge of town and combines expansive views across the marshland with changing views of Krempe’s towers.

For a longer walk, the ten-kilometer Stör Hiking Trail crosses the flat marshland. Highlights include wide views over the dikes and the Stör’s river bends, wetland vegetation, a historic drainage pumping station dating from 1884, and a bird resting area in the outer floodplain beyond the dike. The range from 1.5 to ten kilometers offers a clear guide when choosing the length of your walk.

Two other five-kilometer walks offer different highlights. “Along the Au to Süderau” crosses a historic remnant of the Kremper Au dike to Süderau, then returns along the left bank. “Around Schmerland” runs through the fields of neighboring Grevenkop; rows of trees and the Schmerlander Wettern frame the route. The routes therefore differ not only in name, but also in the landscapes described and the paths they follow.

Cycling and Other Reasons to Visit

The Kremper Marsch is well suited to cycling, with flat terrain and few significant inclines. Cycle paths lead out of Krempe alongside regional and district roads. A section of the Monks’ Way also runs through the Krempermarsch and Krempe. When planning, you can weigh up walks through different types of scenery against a cycling trip through the marshland region.

Krempe outdoor pool is a heated open-air swimming pool near the town’s school and sports center. The flag-waving tradition in Krempe is another cultural point of interest: in Steinburg district, it is considered a regionally significant event. Together with the town hall, church and traces of the fortress, it makes for a stay where architectural history, trails and other local attractions sit side by side.

Discover more destinations: Lägerdorf, Willenscharen, Stördorf, Kaaks, Engelbrechtsche Wildnis, Borsfleth, Kellinghusen, Hennstedt

See the regional travel overview: Steinburg.