Laboe Naval Memorial

Laboe, Germany

Freely accessible

Public space — no opening hours to check.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Admission: Ticketed
Wheelchair access: Partly accessible

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

Find out more

The Laboe Naval Memorial, a brick expressionist tower near Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein, stands 72 metres high and was designed by Gustav August Munzer, with construction beginning in 1927 and completing in 1936. Originally commemorating World War I losses of the German Imperial Navy, it was expanded after 1945 to honour Kriegsmarine dead and was rededicated in 1954 as a memorial for sailors of all nationalities lost at sea and a symbol of peaceful maritime passage. The tower, topped by an observation deck that reaches 85 metres above sea level, was conceived by Munzer to inspire positive feelings rather than represent anything specific, though guides have associated its form with a Viking longship stem or submarine conning tower. The memorial complex includes a hall of remembrance and the submarine U-995, a Type VII U-boat and the world's only remaining example of its class, which houses a technical museum. The site has become a major tourist destination and is designated a heritage monument in Schleswig-Holstein.