Cuxhaven, Germany
Cuxhaven is a town of 52,677 people in Lower Saxony, Germany, founded in 1907.
Why visit Cuxhaven
Townapedia lists 84 museums and landmarks, 44 parks and trails, 222 places to eat, 70 places to stay and 12 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Stadttheater Cuxhaven, Zoo im Kurpark, Kugelbake and Windstärke 10.
Weather in Cuxhaven
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Cuxhaven
Cuxhaven (German: [kʊksˈhaːfn̩] ; Low German: Cuxhoben) is a port town and seat of the Cuxhaven district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town includes the northernmost point of Lower Saxony. The city serves as a gateway to the nearby Heligoland islands, a tax free zone off the coast of Germany. Cuxhaven is situated on the shore of the North Sea at the mouth of the Elbe River.
From the Wikipedia article Cuxhaven (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Cuxhaven on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Cuxhaven
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Things to do12
Zoo im Kurpark
Zoo and aquarium · 2.6 km
Vögel und Kleintiere
80 Strandstraße, Cuxhaven
Mo-Su,PH 09:00-18:00
Bali Kino Center
Cinema and theater · 0.8 km
5 Holstenstraße, Cuxhaven
Mo-We,Fr,Sa 12:00+; Th 10:30+; Su open "geöffnet entsprechend Filmprogramm"
G. Otten
Farm and orchard · 4.7 km
62 Cuxhavener Chaussee, Cuxhaven
Mo,Tu,Th,Fr 08:00-18:00
Molenfeuer Steubenhöft
Lighthouse · 1.3 km
Molenfeuer, Bauwerkshöhe 10 m, Feuerhöhe 12 m, Tragweite weiß 5 sm - grün 3 sm
Lentzkai, Cuxhaven
Museums and landmarks84
Hamburger Leuchtturm
Monument and historic site · 0.7 km
Roter Backsteinturm, seit 2001 außer Betrieb. Turmhöhe 23 m, Feuerhöhe 24 m.
7 b. d. Alten Liebe, Cuxhaven
Kantorschule in Döse
Monument and historic site · 2.4 km
2 Steinmarner Straße, Cuxhaven
72 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds44
Kampfbahn
Sports field and stadium · 0.8 km
5 Hermann-Allmers-Straße, Cuxhaven
Thalassozentrum ahoi!
Sports field and stadium · 4.6 km
32 Wehrbergsweg, Cuxhaven
Mo-Su,PH 09:00-21:00
32 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes222
Unikat
Restaurant · Regional · 0.9 km
12 Neufelder Straße, Cuxhaven
Mo,Tu 17:00-23:00; We 12:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 12:00+; Su 11:30-21:30
Burger Grill & Bar Cuxhaven
Restaurant · Burger
5 Am Alten Hafen, Cuxhaven
Mo-Th 13:00-22:00; Fr 13:00-22:30; Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00
Café Wasserturm
Cafe · Cake, Tea, Coffee Shop · 0.7 km
11 Bahnhofstraße, Cuxhaven
We-Su 11:30-16:30; Mo,Tu off
Fischbörse Cuxhaven - Restaurant
Restaurant · Seafood, Fish · 0.7 km
28 Präsident-Herwig-Straße, Cuxhaven
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
El Greco
Restaurant · Greek · 4.7 km
34 Wehrbergsweg, Cuxhaven
Mo-Fr 12:00-14:15,17:30-22:00; Sa,Su 12:00-22:00
Bohlsen's Fischrestaurant
Restaurant · Fish, Seafood · 1.0 km
6 Niedersachsenstraße, Cuxhaven
Mo-Su 11:30-20:00
Bürgerküche Cuxhaven
Restaurant · Regional · 0.6 km
50 Kapitän-Alexander-Straße, Cuxhaven
Tu, Th 12:00-14:00
Café Mezo
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Oriental, Breakfast · 0.7 km
36 Nordersteinstraße, Cuxhaven
Mo-Sa 09:00-18:30
Die Kiste
Restaurant · Spanish · 0.6 km
60 Kapitän-Alexander-Straße, Cuxhaven
Mo,Fr,Sa 17:00+; Tu,We,Th 19:00+
Die kleine Fischkiste
Restaurant · Fish, Seafood · 1.0 km
4 Niedersachsenstraße, Cuxhaven
Mo,Tu,Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Su 08:00-21:00; We off
Eiscafe Da Dalto
Cafe · Ice Cream · 0.9 km
14 Nordersteinstraße, Cuxhaven
Mar-Sep: Mo-Sa 09:00-19:00; Oct-Feb Mo-Sa 08:30-20:00
210 more on the map.
History
Ritzebüttel, today a part of Cuxhaven, belonged to the Land of Hadeln, first an exclave of the younger Duchy of Saxony and after its de facto dynastic partition in 1296 of the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, established de jure in 1260. In 1394 the city of Hamburg conquered the fortress of Ritzebüttel and made it its stronghold to protect the estuary of the river Elbe, which connects that city with the open sea.
The Hamburg America Line built a large ocean liner terminal at Cuxhaven in 1900. Connected directly to Hamburg by a dedicated railway line and station, it served as the major departure point for German and European emigrants until 1969 when ocean liner travel ceased. The ornate assembly hall and associated buildings survived wartime damage and peacetime urban renewal to be restored in 1998 for use as a museum and cruise ship terminal.
On 15 March 1907 Cuxhaven gained city status within the state of Hamburg. In 1937 Cuxhaven became an urban district of the Stade Region within the Prussian Province of Hanover by the Greater Hamburg Act. In 1972 some municipalities of the neighboured rural district of Land of Hadeln were incorporated into the urban district of Cuxhaven. In 1977 Cuxhaven lost the status as urban district and was integrated into the new rural District of Cuxhaven, being its capital.
Read more of the history
During the First World War Nordholz Airbase with its airship hangars, near Nordholz to the south of Cuxhaven, was one of the major Imperial German Navy airship stations. On Christmas Day 1914 it was attacked by Royal Navy seaplanes in the Cuxhaven Raid. It subsequently became a strategically important city as German authorities and civilians feared it would be the site of an Allied invasion.
During the Second World War, the town hosted a base of a Wehrmacht radio network, codenamed BROWN, which transmitted data regarding experimental weapon developments, including rocketry. From this location the last ENIGMA-code–encrypted message of the war was transmitted on 7 May 1945. It reported the arrival of British troops and ends: "Closing down for ever – all the best – goodbye."
Between 1945 and 1964 the Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft performed various civilian experiments in rocketry near Cuxhaven.
From the History section of Cuxhaven on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Cuxhaven
Arts and culture
The origins of tourism go back to the year 1816 when a seaside resort was founded in Cuxhaven. Since 1964 Cuxhaven has been a state-recognized climate seaside resort (Seeheilbad) and centre of the so-called holiday region of Cuxland.
In the village of Lüdingworth, in the southern part of the town, stands the Jacobikirche, Saint Jack's Church. Due to its organ by Arp Schnitger and its lavish baroque interior, the building is one of the most notable of its kind in all Lower Saxony.
From the Wikipedia article Cuxhaven, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Cuxhaven
Curt RothenbergerGerman politician (1896-1959)Photo: US Army photographers on behalf of..., Public domain
Constantin SchreiberGerman journalistPhoto: JCS, CC BY 3.0
Volker NeumüllerGerman music managerPhoto: ChrisHamburg, CC BY-SA 3.0
Klaus HöpckeGerman journalist and politician (1933–2023)Photo: Achtung: Dieses Bild ist nicht..., CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Fritz GüntzlerGerman politicianPhoto: Fritz Güntzler, CC BY-SA 3.0
Kristian KerstingGerman computer scientistPhoto: Stephanie Fröba, CC BY 4.0- Gunnar SauerGerman footballer
- Harro SchachtGerman World War II U-boat commander
- Erich VagtsGerman politician (1896-1980)
- Francis DuttonPremier of South Australia (1818-1877)
- Rainer FeistGerman admiral (1945-2007)
- Jessica BackhausGerman photographer
Born in Cuxhaven, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay70
Churches and places of worship16
Neuapostolische Kirche - Gemeinde Cuxhaven
Church · New Apostolic · 4.2 km
24 Spanger Straße, Cuxhaven
DITIB-Moschee Cuxhaven
Place of worship · Sunni · 1.8 km
37 Meyerstraße, Cuxhaven
Shopping69
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare14
Map of Cuxhaven
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fliegerhorst Nordholz (FCN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 km away.
- Nordholz 11 km southwest, about 11 min by car
- Otterndorf 15 km southeast, about 15 min by car
- Dorum 22 km southwest, about 22 min by car
- Brunsbüttel 27 km east, about 27 min by car
- Drangstedt 29 km south, about 29 min by car
- Bremerhaven 36 km south, about 36 min by car
- Meldorf 35 km northeast, about 35 min by car
- Hemmoor 36 km southeast, about 36 min by car
- Schiffdorf 38 km south, about 38 min by car
- Nordenham 43 km south, about 43 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Cuxhaven
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Luftaufnahmen Nordseekueste 2012 05 D50 by-RaBoe 015, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 006, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 004, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 003, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 005, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven 2014 by-RaBoe 22, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 007, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Rathaus Cuxhaven, Tvabutzku1234, CC0
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 002, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven 2014 by-RaBoe 24, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven 2014 by-RaBoe 23, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 001, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 011, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 009, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 010, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 008, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven, Grüner Weg 18 (1), Karsten Ratzke, CC0
- Cuxhaven, Grüner Weg 18, Karsten Ratzke, CC0
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 019, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 026, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 027, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 020, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 025, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 021, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 023, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 024, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 022, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 018, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 017, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 016, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 029, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 028, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 012, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 014, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 013, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven-Rathaus- 2015 by-RaBoe 015, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven, Grüner Weg 37, Karsten Ratzke, CC0
- Rathausplatz Cuxhaven - panoramio, el legowo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven, Grüner Weg 25, Karsten Ratzke, CC0
- Cuxhaven -Seemannsmission- 2020 by-RaBoe 003, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven alte liebe 01, Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Amandus Abendroth Gymnasium Cuxhaven 2013, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven 2007 -Joachim Ringelnatz Museum- by-RaBoe 01, Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Windstärke 10 außen a, Gerd Fahrenhorst, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven 2008 -Steubenhöft - by-RaBoe 001, Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort Kugelbake von vorne Scheinwerferstand, Axel Hindemith, CC BY 3.0
- Schloss Ritzebüttel Cuxhaven Nordseite 2013, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lichtenberg Gymnasium Cuxhaven, JR07, Public domain
- Cuxhaven 2013 - Kampfbahn - by-RaBoe 014, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Kurpark Döse 2013, Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven Stadtbibliothek Gesamtansicht, Susanne Walter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cuxhaven 2020 -Deichstraße- by-RaBoe 053, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven -Havenhostel- 2015 by-RaBoe 01, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven 2020 -Krankenhaus- by-RaBoe 095, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven 2013 -St.-Petri-Kirche- by-RaBoe 58, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven 2006 -Martinskirche in Cuxhaven-Ritzebüttel- by-RaBoe 01, Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Alte Kantorschule in Döse 1, Joschi71, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cuxhaven St Abundus Kirche 06 (RaBoe), Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven Groden Gemeindeschule, Fridolin freudenfett, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Schweizerhaus Schloßpark Ritzebüttel 2013 edit (MK), Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven Hamburger Leuchtturm, Oberlausitzerin64, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cuxhaven Marien außen, Prianteltix, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven-Herzjesu-July2010, Unukorno, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Abendrothstraße 16 Cuxhaven, Clemensfranz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cuxhaven Ritzebütteler Schule, Fridolin freudenfett, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cuxhaven 2020 -Rathausstraße- by-RaBoe 07, © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Cuxhaven Kugelbake 1, Oberlausitzerin64, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thetornado76, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, bitnapper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, bitnapper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, bitnapper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thetornado76, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, bitnapper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, nesshof, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, nesshof, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mighty_eighty, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, VIA_KK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, zuse, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, zuse, CC BY-SA 4.0
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