Sandau (Elbe) can be explored through two distinctive features: its late Romanesque brick basilica with viewing tower and the cable ferry across the Elbe. The town hall, monuments and Elbe Cycle Route round out the picture of the town. When planning your stay, it is especially useful to know the church’s seasonal opening, the approximate duration of a guided tour and how the ferry operates.
Romanesque Church and Views over Sandau
The three-aisled brick basilica of St. Laurentius/St. Nicolaus is late Romanesque and lies on the northern route of the Romanesque Road. Nearby stops along this route include Havelberg, Schönhausen, Wust and Jerichow. In Sandau, the church combines architectural history with attractions in its rebuilt tower: it houses a winter church and changing exhibitions. A permanent exhibition in the rebuilt church displays images from the Second World War.
An elevator provides access to every level of the tower and leads to the viewing platform on the fifth floor. From there, you can see across Sandau and the surrounding countryside. From April to October, the church is open as an open church and cyclist church; check the latest information before your visit. A guided tour of the church and rebuilt tower takes about 30 to 60 minutes and includes a view from the bell tower. You can therefore allow roughly half an hour to an hour for your visit.
Town Hall and Monuments
The town hall is also a distinctive feature of the townscape: the half-timbered building, which is more than 300 years old, has a double mansard roof. The Kaiser and Warriors’ Monument is a red marble obelisk illuminated by two Schinkel lamps. Its clean lines and the town hall’s distinctive roof create very different architectural accents.
A Polish monument commemorates soldiers of the 1st Polish Army who crossed the Elbe in the final days of 1945. In Sandau, you will encounter both historic buildings and memorial sites; the church, town hall and monuments offer different ways to engage with the town’s history.
Cable Ferry, Elbe Cycle Route and Countryside
The Sandau cable ferry is suspended from a 500-metre-long cable. The current carries it roughly 200 metres across the river. During high water, the ferry switches to motor power. The ferry therefore combines cable and motor operation and can be used at both high and low water levels. It is worth checking the current timetable when planning a crossing.
The Elbe-Havel countryside 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. As business details can change, check the current opening hours before visiting. This lets you plan a stop there in its own right, without confusing it with the ferry service or a visit to the church.
More Destinations in the Wider Stendal Travel Region
The wider Stendal travel region offers additional, distinct attractions. At Stendal Zoo, you can observe more than 500 animals from 75 species up close. Children can feed and pet goats in the petting enclosure, then enjoy the adventure playground. The Altmark Theatre is also based in Stendal and offers a varied cultural programme. The Bismarck Museum in Schönhausen displays gifts to Otto von Bismarck, personal items and historical images; it offers public and group tours as well as events focused on historical and political education.
Discover more destinations: Stendal, Fischbeck, Arneburg, Kamern, Zehrental, Aland, Wanzer, TangerhĂĽtte.
Back to the wider travel overview: Stendal.
