The city of Wismar is more than just a charming medieval town—it’s also the legendary setting of FW Murnau’s 1922 masterpiece Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. More than a century after its medieval center provided the haunting backdrop for the silent film classic, a new remake—nominated for this year’s Academy Awards—has once again put this Gothic city on the map. Feeling a chill yet?
Standing before the Wassertor gate in Wismar, a windswept Gothic town with gabled buildings and red-brick facades on Germany’s Baltic coast, I wandered through its cobbled streets leading from the harbor to its medieval center—a UNESCO-protected cultural treasure. Suddenly, my eyes caught a sign featuring a stylized vampire, and I stopped in my tracks.
Moments later, I found myself retracing the footsteps of Nosferatu as I arrived at two iconic filming locations where Murnau shot some of the most gripping scenes in cinematic history. One was the vast Marktplatz square, where an ornate pavilion stands at its center. The other was near the austere Holy Spirit Church, home to a beautiful garden.
A loose adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the silent film follows German real estate agent Thomas Hutter on his journey to Transylvania to meet Count Orlok. The vampire, drawn to Hutter’s blood and captivated by a photograph of his wife, Ellen, follows him back to the fictional town of “Wisborg” (Wismar), spreading plague and death—until Ellen sacrifices herself, luring the vampire into the deadly rays of the morning sun.
However, the film’s success came at a cost. Stoker’s widow sued the production company for copyright infringement, and German courts ordered all copies of Nosferatu to be destroyed. But, much like Count Orlok himself, the film refused to die—several copies had already been distributed across Europe.
And Nosferatu still refuses to fade into the shadows!
The 2024 Nosferatu remake by Robert Eggers, starring Lily-Rose Depp and Bill Skarsgård, has breathed new life into this timeless horror story. While the Prague-based Barrandov Studios recreated Wismar for the film, the remake remains a tribute to Murnau’s nightmarish vision and was nominated for four Academy Awards this year. More than a century later, Wismar continues to revel in its role as the real-life setting behind one of horror’s most iconic tales.
A Timelessly Haunting City
Today, Wismar remains refreshingly unspoiled. A quiet town, largely free from the tourist crowds, it mostly attracts German visitors eager to enjoy the fleeting Baltic summer. Its tourism season begins in March with the annual Herring Days (March 15–30, 2025), when “the entire market square smells of fried herring”—a scent that, for some, might be as tempting as fresh blood to Count Orlok.
One of the few times Wismar has seen an influx of visitors in recent years was in 2022, when the town (and much of Germany) celebrated the centenary of Nosferatu with creativity and enthusiasm.
Wismar also launched the Nosferatour, an immersive outdoor experience set to return in 2026. Visitors can follow towering papier-mâché puppets through the medieval streets, reliving the eerie atmosphere of Murnau’s cinematic masterpiece.
Wismar’s Maritime Legacy
One of the film’s most unforgettable scenes takes place in Wismar’s harbor—a fitting choice, as the city’s history is deeply intertwined with the sea. Its maritime past and old Hanseatic architecture create a distinctive atmosphere. You can almost picture Nosferatu creeping through the streets—though it’s probably best to explore in daylight!
Now, just three years after Nosferatu’s centennial, Wismar is preparing to welcome even more fans of the legendary vampire. The new adaptation has reignited interest in this Hanseatic town, and as recent trends show, any place featured in a major film or series often becomes a hotspot for curious travelers.
So, if you find yourself wandering Wismar’s misty streets, keep an eye on the shadows—you never know when Count Orlok might make another appearance.
