Kaaks has a clear focus on cultural history: surviving remains of a ringwall castle, a rare fish-belly bridge and connections to the history of transport and routes. The wider Steinburg destination offers additional themes rooted in their respective locations. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between the two and tailoring your stay to your own interests.

Historical Traces in Kaaks

At Kaaksburg, visitors can see the well-preserved remains of a ringwall castle. They date from the 9th/10th century. The surviving structure gives the village an early medieval landmark and offers a different perspective on history from the later evidence of transport development.

In Eversdorf, which is part of Kaaks, you will find one of Schleswig-Holstein’s few surviving fish-belly bridges. It crosses the upper reaches of the Bekau. The focus here is on a distinctive bridge design; this river crossing clearly sets it apart from the ringwall remains in Kaaksburg.

The Ox Road is also part of Kaaks’s transport and route history. There was also a former 13.5-kilometre cableway, which transported clay to the Alsen cement factory in Itzehoe from 1908 to 1975. The ringwall castle points to the 9th/10th century, while the cableway is part of a later transport history with a specific period and destination. Together, these topics offer different historical perspectives without prescribing a fixed itinerary.

A few simple questions can help you choose a focus: Are you more interested in archaeological remains, the design of a bridge, or former transport routes? Kaaks offers a distinct point of interest for each of these topics. The information about the castle, bridge and transport history can be considered as separate aspects of the village.

Steinburg as a Regional Setting

The wider Steinburg destination stretches from the Elbe to the Holstein marshlands. Cyclists also have a regional point of reference: the Elbe Cycle Route is one of five long-distance cycle routes that pass through the Steinburg district. If you are planning a cycling trip, check the route conditions before setting out.

Other cultural highlights in the Steinburg destination include Glückstadt and Itzehoe. The Detlefsen Museum in Glückstadt offers a comprehensive picture of the town and the Holstein Elbe marshes, past and present. Glückstadt’s town church was built as the first Protestant church in the duchies of Holstein and Schleswig. At the Palais für aktuelle Kunst in Glückstadt, contemporary art meets a Renaissance setting.

In Itzehoe, the Kreismuseum Prinzeßhof presents the history and cultural history of the Steinburg district in the 19th and 20th centuries; it is housed in the town’s oldest secular building. The Wenzel Hablik Museum displays, among other things, paintings, drawings, designs for utopian space settlements, furniture and textiles, as well as collections of shell and metal figures. These museums offer distinct perspectives, from regional history to art, design and extraordinary concepts.

Events and Seasonal Activities in Steinburg

Wacken Open Air takes place annually at the festival grounds in Wacken and is one of the world’s largest heavy metal festivals. Dates and ticket information change from year to year; check the details for your planned travel dates. The programme at Museum Betont in Kellinghusen includes concerts on historical instruments and workshops focusing on individual instruments. Check the current programme in advance.

The Steinburg Wild Weeks offer seasonal dishes featuring hare, venison, wild boar or wild duck from mid-September to the end of October, prepared by Steinburg chefs. Check the dates and participating restaurants before your trip. These time-limited activities may influence your choice of travel dates; they are regional features of the Steinburg destination, not attractions specific to Kaaks itself.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it is therefore helpful to start by deciding what you want to focus on: should Kaaks, with its local historical landmarks, be at the centre of your stay, or would you prefer to plan your visit around another theme in the wider Steinburg destination?

Discover more destinations: Wewelsfleth, Engelbrechtsche Wildnis, Poyenberg, Kellinghusen, Wacken, Rethwisch, Neuendorf-Sachsenbande, Horst-Herzhorn.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Steinburg.