Old barge, new use
The history of MS Frieda
The event location amSee Leipzig is likely to awaken memories in many a Leipzig resident. Known as MS Frieda, the ship’s history as an excursion destination goes back some 50 years.
From barge to excursion steamer
The MS Frieda has had an eventful history. The 53-meter-long and 6-meter-wide Elb-Saale barge served for about 50 years before it was decommissioned in 1971. After the barge was brought ashore, they cut it into three pieces. In 1972, Frieda was brought to Lake Kulkwitz, not far from the then still young Leipzig district of Grünau. Here the individual parts found a new foundation, were welded together again and rebuilt into a modern ship’s restaurant with outdoor seating. The “MS Leipzig”, as the Frieda was now called, was launched at the same time as the Kulkwitz Lake Local Recreation Center Officially opened in 1973.
From then on, the former barge served as an excursion pub and quickly became the landmark of the local recreation area. Thanks to the famous dancing teas and good Mediterranean cuisine, the ship’s restaurant became very popular. In some cases, Leipzig citizens waited up to two years for a reservation in the on-board restaurant.
Turnaround for the destination
German reunification meant drastic changes for the popular excursion destination MS Frieda. Now private owners and various tenants took over the helm on the former barge. Over the years, excursionists have found a Chinese restaurant, an Italian ristorante, a pirate cog and a classic ship restaurant in the MS Frieda.
She also changed her appearance several times. After a fire in 2002 there were major reconstructions of the ship, but fortunately the maritime character of MS Frieda was never lost. After the last restaurant closed in 2017, the popular ship became quiet.
New life as an event location at theLake
MS Frieda has been under a new flag since 2019. Our team and hardworking helpers have carefully rebuilt and modernized the traditional barge. We finally opened the Eventlocation amSee in July 2019 and have been hosting great events in a beautiful location ever since. Whether wedding, company party or school start: Enjoy your event with maritime flair at the lake!
