Kiel

Kiel is a city in north central Germany, in Schleswig-Holstein, a port on the Baltic Sea, at the eastern entrance of the Kiel Canal. The city has been noted as a port since the 10th century because of its excellent harbor, which is a tideless fjord. The city has a university and is a popular centre for pleasure boating. In 1284 Kiel became a member of the Hanseatic League. In 1773 it came under Danish rule, and in 1866, as part of Schleswig-Holstein, it passed to Prussia. In World War I the city was the headquarters of the German Imperial Fleet, and in World War II its important naval base was heavily bombed by the Allies. Here you can visit Eutin, the Holstein lakes, the Shipping Museum and further afield the City of Schleswig, Gottorf Castle, Lubeck and Hamburg.