Museum im Waldemarturm

About the museum

The Waldemarturm dates back to the 12th century and served as a defensive tower of the medieval castle of Dannenberg. Over the centuries it was used several times as a prison; in 1224/25 the Danish king Waldemar II was held captive here, and the tower is named after him. The walls, roughly three meters thick, enclose 113 steps that lead up to a height of 33 meters, where eight roof dormers offer views of the surrounding countryside.

Today the tower houses the town museum of Dannenberg (Elbe). Across several exhibition levels it shows the town's history from the early Slavic settlement to more recent times. Water runs through the exhibition like a red thread: as castle moat, town boundary and transport route, but also as a threat from recurring floods.

This theme is the subject of the multimedia permanent exhibition "100 Tage in Gummistiefeln" on two floors. It explains how floods arise and how the people of Dannenberg have dealt with them since the medieval dike construction, and it documents the so-called Jahrhunderthochwasser floods of 2002 and 2006.

Highlights

• Climb of 113 steps to 33 meters with views over Dannenberg
• Flood exhibition "100 Tage in Gummistiefeln"
• Town history from the Slavic settlement to today
• 12th-century defensive tower with the history of King Waldemar II's imprisonment

Permanent exhibitions

• 100 Tage in Gummistiefeln – Multimedia exhibition across two floors on floods in Dannenberg, from medieval dike building to the Jahrhunderthochwasser floods of 2002 and 2006.
• Dannenberger Stadtgeschichte – Town history across several tower levels, from the early Slavic settlement through King Waldemar II's imprisonment to more recent times.

Operated by

Stadt Dannenberg (Elbe)

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is in a historic tower; the exhibition levels can only be reached by stairs (113 steps to the top) and are therefore not accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Various educational programs that can be adapted to the group by arrangement; visiting requires climbing stairs.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on Amtsberg, only a few steps from the Dannenberg market square.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit