In 2002, UNESCO inscribed the historic town centres of Stralsund and Wismar in the World Heritage List together, as representative examples of the cultural heritage of the Hanseatic League. Both are ideal representations of developed Hanseatic towns during the heyday of the League in the 14th century.
The historic town centres have maintained their medieval layout almost totally intact and are perfect examples of the construction of sea trading towns in accordance with the Lübeck Law. A group of six monumental brick churches provide a unique cross-section of the renowned religious architecture of the Hanseatic towns.