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Kiel

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Kiel is a large city in northern Germany.

SatSchleswigHolstein Hamburg
SatSchleswigHolstein Hamburg

It serves as the capital of the state of Schleswig-Holstein. About 250,000 people live in this busy urban area. The city sits on the Baltic Sea coast. It is located on a deep water inlet called the Kieler Förde.

Luftbildaufnahme Kieler Förde Bickrichtung Hörn
Luftbildaufnahme Kieler Förde Bickrichtung Hörn

You can also find the Schwentine River flowing into the sea here. It sits on the Jutland Peninsula, northeast of Hamburg.

Water is a huge part of life in Kiel. The Kiel Canal is located in the Holtenau district. This is the busiest man-made waterway in the whole world. The canal connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea. Its other end is in a place called Brunsbüttel.

Admiralty Chart No 696 Kieler Hafen, Published 1971
Admiralty Chart No 696 Kieler Hafen, Published 1971

The city is also a major center for sea transport. Passenger ferries travel from Kiel to Sweden, Norway, and Lithuania. Many large cruise ships also visit the Port of Kiel.

Kiel has a very long and changing history. A man named Count Adolf IV founded the settlement in 1233. It was originally called Holstenstadt tom Kyle. The city received official city rights in 1242.

Kiel by Braun Hogenberg (middle size) (109097477)
Kiel by Braun Hogenberg (middle size) (109097477)

For many years, the king of Denmark ruled the area. In 1864, the city became part of the Kingdom of Prussia. Later, it became part of West Germany and then the unified Germany.

Many important things happened in this city during the 20th century. During World War I, a sailors' mutiny took place here. Sailors refused orders to fight the British Navy. This event helped start the German Revolution.

Kiel, Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945 CL2772
Kiel, Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945 CL2772

The city also saw much damage during World War II. Heavy bombing destroyed most of the old town and many industrial areas. Today, the city has been rebuilt and is a modern place to live.

There are many interesting things to see and do in Kiel today. The University of Kiel was started in 1665. It is home to a famous ocean research center called GEOMAR.

You can visit the Holstenstraße, which is a very long shopping street.

Holsten strasse Kiel
Holsten strasse Kiel

For fans of the water, Kiel Week is a massive event. It is the biggest sailing festival in the world. It happens every year during the last full week of June.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Kiel by Braun Hogenberg (middle size) (109097477).jpg
Kiel by Braun Hogenberg (middle size)...
File:SatSchleswigHolstein Hamburg.jpg
SatSchleswigHolstein Hamburg.jpg
File:Kiel, Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945 CL2772.jpg
Kiel, Royal Air Force Bomber Command,...
File:Admiralty Chart No 696 Kieler Hafen, Published 1971.jpg
Admiralty Chart No 696 Kieler Hafen,...
File:Kiel Population Density.svg
Kiel Population Density.svg
File:Geistkaempfer Barlach Kiel.jpg
Geistkaempfer Barlach Kiel.jpg
File:Ayuntamiento, Kiel, Alemania, 2019-09-10, DD 51-53 HDR.jpg
Ayuntamiento, Kiel, Alemania, 2019-09-10,...
File:2018 Kiel City Council election.svg
2018 Kiel City Council election.svg
File:Holstein-Stadion Luftbild 2019.jpg
Holstein-Stadion Luftbild 2019.jpg
File:Holsten strasse Kiel.JPG
Holsten strasse Kiel.JPG
File:Wappen Kiel.svg
Wappen Kiel.svg
File:Kiel Karte 1.png
Kiel Karte 1.png

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