Places of Longing of Romance

On the Trail of Caspar David Friedrich & Co.

That the North German Romanticism with Caspar David Friedrich saw the light of day at the Baltic Sea, of all places, is not really surprising.

Idyllic sunrise at the Königsstuhl - part of the photo book (page 102/103), © TMV/Grundner

Centuries-old oaks stretching their branches imploringly into the sky, white chalk cliffs above emerald green seas, dark towers of clouds on the agitated Baltic Sea and the admonishing ruins of Eldena Monastery are just a few of the romantic destinations of longing.

In the Footsteps of North German Romanticism

The easiest way to experience romance is to take anticyclical routes: if you go out when everyone else is still asleep, you can see how beautiful the fog hangs over the river valley. If you come to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in spring, fall and winter, you experience a fabulously vast land in the flat, soft light. If you hike along the Baltic coast in a storm, you'll be surprised that the changes between sun and clouds can actually look as boisterous as they do in a romantic painting from the 19th century.

Through the Eyes of Caspar David Friedrich

Some of the most famous works by the Romantic painter hang in the Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald. The original locations that Friedrich captured in his paintings are not far away:

The Eldena monastery ruins, for example, whose red brick walls he painted in a wide variety of light moods and seasons, sometimes setting them in the Giant Mountains, sometimes in a green thicket. The real ruin still stands on the outskirts of Greifswald and seems to have hardly changed.

The view that Friedrich captured around 1820 with the "Meadows near Greifswald" is also almost unchanged to this day. The churches of St. Mary, St. Nicholas and St. Jacobi still form the silhouette of the Hanseatic city. Friedrich was born there in 1774 as the son of a soap boiler. Since 2004, his birthplace has housed the Caspar David Friedrich Center.

On the beach of Vierow on the Greifswald Bodden, Friedrich sketched a fishing boat. The coast of Rügen can be seen on the horizon. There, the great painter found another favorite motif at the time with the chalk cliffs.

  • © TMV/pocha.de

    Romanticism bike tour in Vorpommern

    • Length: 293 km
    • Etappen: 7

    Stages: 1 day From the Eldena monastery ruins to the Rungehaus in Wolgast - the "Route of North German Romanticism" combines the art and literature of Romanticism with today's nature experience along the coast of the Greifswald Bodden.

    Read more: "Romanticism bike tour in Vorpommern"
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    Places of Historical Romance

    The pristine nature of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern inspired the artists of northern German Romanticism. Some original locations have hardly changed to this day and are still places of longing for romantics in the broader sense.

    1. © Sven Fischer

      Church St. Jacobi Greifswald

      Read more: "Church St. Jacobi Greifswald"
    2. © Sven Fischer

      Greifswald Museum Harbour

      Read more: "Greifswald Museum Harbour"
    3. © Gudrun Koch

      St. Nikolai Cathedral Greifswald

      Read more: "St. Nikolai Cathedral Greifswald"
    4. © TMV/ Krauss

      Museum Rungehaus

      Read more: "Museum Rungehaus"
    5. © Gudrun Koch

      St. Mary's Church Greifswald

      Read more: "St. Mary's Church Greifswald"
    6. © Gudrun Koch

      Pomeranian State Museum

      Read more: "Pomeranian State Museum"
    7. © Gudrun Koch

      Wiecker wooden bascule bridge

      Read more: "Wiecker wooden bascule bridge"
    8. © Gudrun Koch

      Greifswald Town Hall

      Read more: "Greifswald Town Hall"
    9. © Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., ©2021 Gudrun Koch

      Caspar David Friedrich Center

      Read more: "Caspar David Friedrich Center"
    10. © tvv-michaelis

      Natural Beach Vierow

      Read more: "Natural Beach Vierow"
    11. © Gudrun Koch

      Eldena monastery ruins

      Read more: "Eldena monastery ruins"
    12. © Philipp Schulz

      Fishing Port Wieck

      Read more: "Fishing Port Wieck"
    13. © Gudrun Koch

      Marketplace of the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald

      Read more: "Marketplace of the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald"
    14. © NZK | T. Allrich

      KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Center

      Read more: "KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Center"
    15. © TMV/Tiemann

      Ludwigsburg Palace

      Read more: "Ludwigsburg Palace"
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    Events in the Caspar David Friedrich anniversary year

    in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

    15 Ergebnisse
    • © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2022

      Guided tour along the Caspar David Friedrich picture trail

      • Nächster Termin: 4/25/25
      • Alle Termine: 4/11/25 to 10/10/25
      • Lange Straße, 17489 Greifswald

      Guided tour through Greifswald's old town

      Read more: "Guided tour along the Caspar David Friedrich picture trail"
    • © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2023

      Children's tour through the Caspar David Friedrich Center

      • Nächster Termin: 4/25/25
      • Alle Termine: 1/31/25 to 12/19/25
      • Lange Straße, 17489 Greifswald

      A guided tour of the CDF Center especially for all young visitors!

      Read more: "Children's tour through the Caspar David Friedrich Center"
    • © NZK-Lehmann

      Painting course with Rügen artist Kathrin Thesenvitz

      • Nächster Termin: 4/26/25
      • Alle Termine: 4/26/25 to 10/18/25
      • Stubbenkammer, 18546 Sassnitz

      Guests can capture the seasons of the chalk coast in their own painting on the painting courses that we offer together with the Rügen artist Kathrin Thesenvitz.

      Read more: "Painting course with Rügen artist Kathrin Thesenvitz"
    • © GMG / T. Behnke

      Caspar David Friedrich - Anniversary tour

      • Nächster Termin: 4/26/25
      • Alle Termine: 4/12/25 to 10/25/25
      • 17489 Greifswald

      In 2024, Greifswald celebrates the 250th anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich's birth. One of the highlights: The "Caspar David Friedrich anniversary tour" - walk together with costumed guides in the footsteps of the city's famous son from his birthplace to the paintings.

      Read more: "Caspar David Friedrich - Anniversary tour"
    • © EMAM/kvw

      Visual axes: E.M. Arndt and C.D. Friedrich

      • Nächster Termin: 4/30/25
      • Alle Termine: 7/18/24 to 4/30/25
      • An den Anlagen, 18574 Garz

      Two companions of an era in transition: a themed exhibition

      Read more: "Visual axes: E.M. Arndt and C.D. Friedrich"
    • © Karl Mühlbach, 2022 für Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V.

      Guided tour of the Caspar David Friedrich Center

      • Nächster Termin: 5/2/25
      • Alle Termine: 1/24/25 to 12/12/25
      • Lange Straße, 17489 Greifswald

      Guided tour of the birthplace of Caspar David Friedrich

      Read more: "Guided tour of the Caspar David Friedrich Center"
    • © Hanomag Tours

      Hanomag Safari: In the footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich

      • Nächster Termin: 5/3/25
      • Alle Termine: 5/3/25 to 10/29/25
      • Heinrich-Heine-Straße, 18609 Ostseebad Binz

      On the trail of the chalk and the Stone Age: National Park, chalk coast, megalithic tombs, chalk open-cast mining, chalk lake, sacrificial stone

      Read more: "Hanomag Safari: In the footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich"
    • © Förderverein Klinikumskirche zu Stralsund e.V.

      Chamber concerts in the hospital church in Stralsund

      • Nächster Termin: 5/16/25
      • Alle Termine: 9/13/24 to 6/13/25
      • Rostocker Chaussee, 18437 Stralsund

      Chamber concerts for the 2024/25 season in the Klinikumskirche in Stralsund

      Read more: "Chamber concerts in the hospital church in Stralsund"
    • © Heinrich Tenbreul

      Presentation of graphic and oil paintings

      • Nächster Termin: 6/8/25
      • Alle Termine: 6/8/25 to 6/9/25
      • Ratzeburger Straße, 23923 Schönberg

      Presentation of graphic and oil paintings, pictures to stay

      Read more: "Presentation of graphic and oil paintings"
    • © Olaf Hoppe

      Haus Hoppe Gallery for Fine Arts

      • Nächster Termin: 6/8/25
      • Alle Termine: 6/8/25 to 6/9/25
      • Zum Breitling, 23974 Stove

      Numerous paintings and multi-colored woodcuts are exhibited on an exhibition area of 450 m².

      Read more: "Haus Hoppe Gallery for Fine Arts"
    • © Theaterwerft

      Pretty best enemies - a comedic summit meeting

      • Nächster Termin: 6/12/25
      • Alle Termine: 4/11/24 to 6/13/25
      • Bahnhofstraßes, 17489 Greifswald

      PREMIERE

      Read more: "Pretty best enemies - a comedic summit meeting"
    • © Theaterwerft

      Pretty best enemies - a comedic summit meeting

      • Nächster Termin: 6/12/25
      • Alle Termine: 4/11/24 to 6/13/25
      • Bahnhofstraße 44-45, 17489 Greifswald

      PREMIERE

      Read more: "Pretty best enemies - a comedic summit meeting"
    • © (c) WKA Uni Greifswald

      "The painter saw the city from here." Wolfgang Koeppen and Caspar David Friedrich

      • Date: 6/20/25
      • Bahnhofstraße, 17489 Greifswald

      Koeppentage 2024

      Read more: ""The painter saw the city from here." Wolfgang Koeppen and Caspar David Friedrich"
    • © Caspar David Friedrich, Neubrandenburg, 1816/1817, Pommersches Landesmuseum

      Homecoming from New York - Caspar David Friedrich's painting Neubrandenburg

      • Date: 6/21/25
      • Rakower Straße 9, 17489 Greifswald

      Art break with Dr. Ruth Slenczka

      Read more: "Homecoming from New York - Caspar David Friedrich's painting Neubrandenburg"
    • © Nationalpark-Zentrum KÖNIGSSTUHL

      Romantic days at the Königsstuhl

      • Nächster Termin: 8/20/25
      • Alle Termine: 8/20/25 to 8/22/25
      • Stubbenkammer, 18546 Sassnitz

      Immerse yourself in the time of the 19th century at an original location of Romanticism. On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich's birth, stroll with him and his wedding party across the grounds at the Königsstuhl on the island of Rügen and experience the wild forest by the sea with its white chalk coast, ancient beech forests and blue Baltic Sea for a week full of music, art and knowledge.

      Read more: "Romantic days at the Königsstuhl"

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    1. Confetti flies in front of the painting by Caspar David Friedrich - 250 years

      Experience 250 years of Caspar David Friedrich

      Read more: "Experience 250 years of Caspar David Friedrich"
    2. Katrin Staude in front of the portrait of Caspar David Friedrich

      Read more: ""
    3. Immortalized by Caspar David Friedrich in numerous variations. Their charm remains unbroken to this day., © TMV/Friedrich

      Read more: ""
    4. The silhouette of Greifswald from the air and view of the church towers and old town by day.

      Read more: ""
    5. The silhouette of Greifswald from the air and view of the church towers and old town by day.

      Hanseatic City of Greifswald

      Read more: "Hanseatic City of Greifswald"
    6. A quiet evening on the water: two people paddle through the wide waters of Western Pomerania at sunset, surrounded by nature and silence.

      Vorpommern

      Read more: "Vorpommern"
    7. Nikulski Art & Culture 2016, © TMV/Nikulski

      Art Today

      Read more: "Art Today"
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