Stralsund is a city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated at the southern coast of the Strelasund (a sound of the Baltic Sea separating the island of Rügen from the mainland). A bridge (the Rügendamm) and several ferry services connect Stralsund with the ports of Rügen.

The main economical sectors of Stralsund are shipyards, fishing, and, to an increasing degree, tourism.

History

The town was founded in 1234 by Slavic settlers from Rügen. Traders from Germany arrived in the following years. The town began to rise. This challenged the powerful city of Lübeck, which burnt Stralsund down in 1249. Afterwards the town was rebuilt with a massive city wall having 11 town gates and 30 watchtowers.

In 1293 Stralsund became a member of the Hanseatic League. 300 ships flying the flag of Stralsund cruised the Baltic Sea in the 14th century.

In the 17th century Stralsund became a theatre in the Thirty Years' War. General Albrecht von Wallenstein besieged the city in 1628, until Swedish troops came to Stralsund's aid and forced the general to retreat. After the war the Peace of Westphalia (1648) handed Western Pomerania, Swedish Pomerania, and the city of Stralsund to Sweden. In the Great Northern War in 1715 Charles XII led the defence of Stralsund for a year against the united European armies. Stralsund remained under Swedish control until 1815, when it became a part of Prussia.

From 1949 until German Reunification in 1990 Stralsund was part of the German Democratic Republic.

In July 2006 U.S. President George W. Bush visited Stralsund on his way to the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg at the invitation of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Sights in Stralsund

• The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square (Alter Markt), with the Gothic Town Hall (13th century). Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas' Church), built in 1270-1360. The square is surrounded by houses from different periods, including the Gothic Wulflamhaus (a 14th-century patrician house, today a restaurant), and the Baroque Commandantenhaus, seat of the old Swedish command headquarters.
• The Jakobikirche (Saint Jacob's Church), built in mid-14th century. It was destroyed several times, e.g. by Wallenstein and in World War II.
• The Marienkirche (Saint Mary's Church), built in 1383-1473 in Gothic style, is the largest church in Stralsund. Its octogonal tower (104m high) offers a magnificent view of Stralsund and the neighboring islands of Rügen and Hiddensee.
• The Katharinenkloster (Monastery of Saint Catherine), built in the 15th century, that houses two museums: a museum of history, and an oceanographic museum. The ancient refectory of the monastery is one of the most spectacular Gothic interiors in Germany.
• the Johanniskloster (Franciscan monastery, 1254), is one of the oldest buildings in the town.