The Laboe Naval Memorial near Kiel in Northern Germany is one of the most striking memorials I’ve ever visited. Alongside the distinctive memorial tower sits U-995, a restored German U-boat that visitors can climb onboard to explore.
The memorial and submarine can be explored in a couple of hours and are a great way to get a glimpse into Germany’s Baltic maritime history. The fun and family-friendly seaside resort of Laboe is also a wonderful place to explore, making this a great day trip from Kiel.
We spent one afternoon exploring Laboe and one day exploring Kiel before embarking on a Color Line mini-cruise between Kiel-Oslo; this stretch of the Baltic Coast and a trip to Norway are actually pretty easy to add to any Northern Germany travel plans.
Where is the Laboe Naval Memorial?
Find the seaside resort of Laboe on Germany’s Baltic coast, around thirty minutes drive from Kiel in Schelswig-Holstein. The town is best known for the Laboe Naval Memorial and U-995 museum, but there’s more to it than that.
Laboe is also a popular coastal resort; its beaches, promenade by the Baltic, pretty town hall and stunning coastal views attract visitors year-round. Being accessible from Kiel by car, local bus or even by ferry make Laboe a fun and very do-able day trip.
The Laboe Naval Memorial
The Laboe Naval Memorial was originally built to commemorate German sailors lost during the First World War. Today, it stands as a memorial to seafarers of all nationalities who have, ” Died at sea and for peaceful navigation of free waters “
The main feature of the memorial is the distinctive 85m high tower. Head to the observation deck at the top for panoramic views across the Kiel Fjord and the surrounding landscape. How you get to the top is up to you- there’s 341 steps… or an elevator!
However you get to the top, the views are incredible.
The tower is the most recognisable feature of the memorial, but the site is actually vast; about the size of eight football pitches. The subterranean Memorial Hall is entered via a wreath lined tunnel and lined with flags of all nations, as well as tributes from across the world.
The Historic Hall features lots of model ships and exhibits about life at sea past and present. Round off your visit by exploring the large parade square-style outdoor area, a great place to get some fresh Baltic air whilst exploring the various propellers and monuments you’ll find here.
Laboe Naval Memorial: Visitor Information
Directions: Find the memorial using the following address: Strandstraße 92, 24235, Laboe. Honestly, you can’t really miss it!
Opening Hours: The Naval Memorial is open year round as follows:
1 April to 31 October: 10 am to 5:30 pm
1 November to 31 March:10 am to 4 pm
24 & 31 December:10 am to 2 pm
Please find my note and link at the end of this post regarding ticket prices, to find the best option for you.
The U-995 Submarine Museum
Beside the Laboe Naval Memorial sits U-995: a submarine built for the German navy in World War Two. Today, it’s a museum where visitors can step on board to explore the narrow interior and gain a fascinating insight into how submariners lived and worked onboard.
Walking through the submarine, you get a real feel for the difficulties the crew must have faced. There’s a basic ‘kitchen’- not much more than a tiny work space and a single stove to cater for a crew of up to fifty.
Sleeping arrangements for the general crew involved long, communal bunks and a tiny locker for each person. As half the crew were always on duty, there was only enough bunks for the half who weren’t. Each bed space was shared by two men who took turns to use it.
Tight corridors, circular hatch doors you clamber through and complex machinery: U-995 might be a museum now but it’s presented almost completely as it was when in service. An authentic and fascinating experience.
Don’t miss out on having a wander round the exterior too, the U-995 is a fascinating piece of machinery and makes a striking sight, sat on the sand, with the Laboe Naval Memorial to one side and the Baltic Sea to the other.
Laboe Naval Memorial & U-995 Museum Tickets
When it comes to buying a ticket, it really depends how much you want to do. If you plan to visit both the memorial and the U-995, a combi-ticket is available and is good value. There are some concessions available. Up to date details of individual and combi tickets can be found here.
Exploring Laboe
Although many people come here specifically to visit the Laboe Naval Memorial and the submarine- they clock up around 100,000 visitors each year- Laboe itself is a lovely place to spend a little time.
In the Summer months, this is a classic Baltic seaside resort. The promenade is lined with cafes and restaurants and the beach is dotted with the classic strandkorb beach chairs.
At any time of year, there’s plenty of walking and cycling routes to enjoy and a very pretty old town, home to some gorgeous old town houses built by wealthy sea farers and merchants back in the day.
Laboe is an authentic Baltic coastal town, well worth exploring.
I enjoyed a wonderful and interesting day exploring Laboe, the Naval Memorial and U-995. It was a great way to stretch our legs and explore a little bit more of this beautiful part of Germany before we hopped onboard the ferry service to Norway.
As we left the memorial, I noticed all of the ‘love locks’ on the gates and just had to grab a picture. The aspiring writer in me cant help but wonder at the stories behind each one. Maybe some of them were placed by a sailor and his sweetheart? Who knows!
Being a bit of an old romantic, I just hope most of them had a happy-ever-after. Although given the old saying about sailors having a girl in every port… what are the chances?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like to read:
A Color Line Mini Cruise from Kiel-Oslo: An Honest Review
Travemünde: The German Seaside Resort You Shouldn’t Miss
Helen x
Interesting post Helen. I once toured a submarine in Darling Harbour, Sydney and couldn’t believe the cramped conditions the sub-mariners had to endure. I’m only 5’1” and even I had to duck down in places. Going away for the weekend, but the weather doesn’t look to be on our side up here either. Never mind, it’ll be hoods up and carry on regardless! Hope you make the best of the poor weather too! Marion
Fascinating post. I’ve never been inside a sub but can imagine it to be terribly claustrophobic. You painted a superb picture of what life would have been like on one of these monsters. So glad the binoculars came in usefulm one does need help when standing a metre away from a picture! Enjoy the weekend, I’m merely going out to lunch tomorrow but that will be treat enough after the awful storm that’s been raging here for 24 hours.
A fantastic picture of the submarine in from of the clouds!
Thanks for the mention, and for joining in. I’ll read this properly later – I’m currently seeing family for the first time in 9 months, so only skimming email today. It looks worth a careful read.
Thank you, enjoy your family reunion. Long awaited!
Thank you for visiting and your excellent post. I’ve never been able to visit unfortunately but my father did. He was the co-pilot in an RAF Catalina aircraft that had a fight with U995 on 21 May 1944. My father was united with the Uboat Captain Köhntopp after the war and the two families became friends, even visiting my parents in West Yorkshire.
What a wonderful bit of family history! I’m so glad you enjoyed my post. Your comment has made my day, appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.