Hanseatic City of Greifswald

Motif and Inspiration for Caspar David Friedrich

Inspired by the beauty of the city's silhouette, the romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich, the most famous son of the university and Hanseatic city, often chose the brick buildings as motifs for his paintings.

The silhouette of Greifswald from the air and view of the church towers and old town by day.

Salty Breeze Paired with University Air

The university and Hanseatic city of Greifswald is always worth a visit. When strolling through the historic old town, the brick town houses, the oxblood-red town hall, parts of the medieval defense system and the brick churches are particularly striking. It is easy to see why the towers of the three distinctive churches are called Long Nicholas, Fat Marie and Little Jacob by the locals.

The cityscape is particularly characterized by the buildings of the University of Greifswald. One of the most magnificent and powerful buildings is the baroque main building of the university, which was built in 1750 by the Swedes who ruled here for almost 200 years. Founded as early as 1456 and thus the second oldest high teaching institution in northern Europe, it continues to provide a young, open intellectual climate in the city today.

Picturesque Greifswald

Maritime flair is spread by the many ships on display in Germany's largest museum harbor. Let yourself be inspired by more than 50 ships with detailed descriptions. A worthwhile museum for art lovers is the Pommersche Landesmuseum Greifswald. Here you will find, among other things, original works by the Greifswald-born artist Caspar David Friedrichs. In his honor, there are also exhibitions in his residence, today's Caspar David Friedrich Center. One of his popular Greifswald motifs is the romantic ruins of Eldena Monastery, which still magically attracts many people today.

A City with Sound

Greifswald offers a wide variety of musical events - whether young and dynamic or classical and elegant. Music festivals, such as the Eldena Jazz Evenings, Greifswalder Bachwoche, the fishing festival Gaffelrigg or the Nordic Sound already have a long tradition.

The Vacation Experts for the Hanseatic City of Greifswald

Hanseatic City of Greifswald in Moving Pictures

Impressions from Greifswald

Excursion Destinations

Sights and Leisure Tips

  1. © Gudrun Koch

    Greifswald Town Hall

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  2. © Barockschloß zu Griebenow e.V.

    Baroque castle Griebenow

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  3. University of Greifswald

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  4. © Gudrun Koch

    Pomeranian State Museum

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  5. Greifswald Zoo

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  6. Caspar-David-Friedrich-Bildweg

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  7. © Gudrun Koch

    St. Mary's Church Greifswald

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  8. © Sabrina Wittkopf-Schade

    Forestry office Jägerhof

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  9. © Gudrun Koch

    Marketplace of the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald

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  10. © Wally Pruss

    Socio-cultural center St. Spiritus

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  11. © Gudrun Koch

    Greifswald Observatory

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  12. © Gudrun Koch

    Wiecker wooden bascule bridge

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  13. Village Church Groß Kiesow

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  14. © Gudrun Koch

    Catch tower Greifswald

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  15. Theater and Stadthalle Greifswald

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  16. © Sabrina Wittkopf-Schade

    Village church Kemnitz

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  17. © Gudrun Koch

    Greifswald barrage

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  18. © Gudrun Koch

    Eldena monastery ruins

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  19. St. Jacobi is the smallest of the 3 main Gothic churches in Greifswald, © Sven Fischer

    Church St. Jacobi Greifswald

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  20. © TMV/Tiemann

    Ludwigsburg Palace

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  21. © Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., ©2021 Gudrun Koch

    Caspar David Friedrich Center

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  22. Parish Church Greifswald-Wiek

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  23. © Förderverein Eldenaer Mühle

    VIA MOLINA Baltic Sea Route Vorpommern

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  24. Arboretum of the University of Greifswald

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  25. Greifswald Information

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  26. © Gudrun Koch

    Greifswald museum shipyard

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  27. © Förderverein Eldenaer Mühle

    VIA MOLINA Baltic Sea Route Vorpommern

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  28. © Martin Weidemeier

    Eldena windmill

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  29. © Gudrun Koch

    Rubenow Monument

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  30. © Sabrina Wittkopf-Schade

    Landscape park

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  31. St. Nikolai Cathedral Greifswald

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Tour Tips for Exploring

On foot or by bike

  • Vom Gehlsdorfer Ufer den Blick auf den Rostocker Stadthafen genießen, © TMV/Tiemann

    Eastern Brick Circuit

    • Length: 305 km
    • Etappen: 5

    The brick churches in Rostock, Stralsund and Greifswald are considered the crowning glory of medieval architecture. In smaller harbor towns and in the hinterland, too, the red stones pile up to form imposing contemporary witnesses. In addition to a lot of history, cyclists enjoy unspoiled nature and swimming fun.

    Read more: "Eastern Brick Circuit"
  • © TMV/Gänsicke

    Baltic Sea Cycle Route

    • Length: 690 km
    • Etappen: 15

    The part of the Baltic Sea Cycle Route which leads through Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a beautiful trail in Northern Germany, which winds through idyllic scenery, Hanseatic towns, three islands and classic villages.

    Read more: "Baltic Sea Cycle Route"
  • © TMV/Foto@Andreas-Duerst.de

    Via Baltica

    • Length: 360 km
    • Etappen: 16

    In our hectic times, more and more people are looking for heavenly peace and divine inspiration. They find it in the liberating expanse of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

    Read more: "Via Baltica"
  • Baltic Sea Coast Hiking Trail E9

    • Length: 400 km
    • Etappen: 14

    Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic Sea – the Hiking Trail E9 connects the coasts of Europe. On the stretch between Travemünde and Ahlbeck, hikers can enjoy the diversity of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's coastal landscape.

    Read more: "Baltic Sea Coast Hiking Trail E9"
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    Event Tips

    Events, Exhibitions and Concerts

    1. © Layout: swinxgrafix

      U 20 Poetry Slam

      Read more: "U 20 Poetry Slam"
    2. © Maria Herzog

      Fishing festival Gaffelrigg

      Read more: "Fishing festival Gaffelrigg"
    3. © Claudia Burmeister

      Illustrations of Low German terms

      Read more: "Illustrations of Low German terms"
    4. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2022

      CDFZ_kontemporär: Guided tour through the current exhibition

      Read more: "CDFZ_kontemporär: Guided tour through the current exhibition"
    5. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e.V.

      Vernissage of the exhibition "Friedrich Andreoni: This all sounds"

      Read more: "Vernissage of the exhibition "Friedrich Andreoni: This all sounds""
    6. © Karl Mühlbach, 2022 für Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V.

      Guided tour of the Caspar David Friedrich Center

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    7. Vacation course "High pressure area" with Manja Graaf

      Read more: "Vacation course "High pressure area" with Manja Graaf"
    8. Comedy by Pierre Cralet de Marivaux
Summer Open Air, © Peter van Heesen

      The dispute

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    9. © Theaterwerft/Thielk

      Port of Marriage - A Cabaret Reckoning

      Read more: "Port of Marriage - A Cabaret Reckoning"
    10. © St.Spiritus

      Screen print with Friedrich motif

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    11. © Mossbauer

      ABBA - ABALANCE The Show Greifswald

      Read more: "ABBA - ABALANCE The Show Greifswald"
    12. © (c) Tine Schmidt, @zitronenmund

      Lecture performance "unsweet candy - molecular cuisine with algae sugars"

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    13. © Sophia Hegewald

      Concert: The forest

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    14. © Iwona Knorr

      From becoming hemic

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    15. © GMG / T. Behnke

      Caspar David Friedrich - Anniversary tour

      Read more: "Caspar David Friedrich - Anniversary tour"
    16. © (c) Der schwarze Kanal

      KoeppenTage 2025: Uwe Johnson and the political magazines of GDR television "Prisma" and "Der schwarze Kanal"

      Read more: "KoeppenTage 2025: Uwe Johnson and the political magazines of GDR television "Prisma" and "Der schwarze Kanal""
    17. © Greifswald Marketing GmbH

      Greifswald Kite Festival

      Read more: "Greifswald Kite Festival"
    18. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2023

      Drink & Draw

      Read more: "Drink & Draw"
    19. "TO THE POINT"

      Read more: ""TO THE POINT""
    20. © Cantemus Chor Greifswald

      The sound of water - of rivers, seas and rain showers

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    21. ABBA - ABALANCE The Show Greifswald

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    22. Soap workshop

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    23. Candle workshop

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    24. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2022

      Guided tour along the Caspar David Friedrich picture trail

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    25. The king of fences by Nicole Zick / Jens Hasselmann

      Read more: "The king of fences by Nicole Zick / Jens Hasselmann"
    26. European circle dance and BalFolk for dancing along

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    27. © Lange Nacht der Comedy

      Long Night of Comedy Greifswald

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    28. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2023

      Family tree tour in the family cabinet with "Margarethe Friedrich"

      Read more: "Family tree tour in the family cabinet with "Margarethe Friedrich""
    29. © (c) Astrid Brünner, VG Bildkunst 2025

      "Metabolate" Artistic scientific research on marine transformation processes

      Read more: ""Metabolate" Artistic scientific research on marine transformation processes"
    30. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Sophie Müller 2024

      Vacation workshops at the CDF Center

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    31. © Foto: C. Behrens

      Kay Ray Show

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    32. © Uwe Heunrich

      Greifswald ZIRKULUM

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    33. © Jubiläumsbüro

      Finissage: Bye-bye arcade art

      Read more: "Finissage: Bye-bye arcade art"
    34. © Wally Pruß

      Night watchman tour in Greifswald

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    35. © Christiane Waak

      Glitter, glitter

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    36. © Boddenfolk

      Dancing

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    37. © Maren Winter

      Caspar peek into the world

      Read more: "Caspar peek into the world"
    38. GUStAV regulars' table

      Read more: "GUStAV regulars' table"
    39. Greifswald Old Town Tour

      Read more: "Greifswald Old Town Tour"
    40. © (c) Astrid Brünner, VG Bildkunst 2025

      Vernissage: "Metabolate" Artistic scientific research on marine transformation processes

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    41. © Theaterwerft / Peter van Heesen

      The pot-bellied pig

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    42. © Sebastian Reiter

      Bangers Only!

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    43. Re-membering the literary landscape. Public reading with Shushan Avagyan

      Read more: "Re-membering the literary landscape. Public reading with Shushan Avagyan"
    44. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Sophie Müller 2024

      Vacation workshops at the CDF Center

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    45. © Enthusiastenorchester Stralsund

      Symphony concert

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    46. © Wally Pruß

      Painting and drawing course

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    47. © Sandra Ludewig

      Max Prose

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    48. © Annika Krueger

      MAKE A MOVE - HOL MICH AB-Tour 2025 Straze/Greifswald 1.11.25

      Read more: "MAKE A MOVE - HOL MICH AB-Tour 2025 Straze/Greifswald 1.11.25"
    49. © St.Spiritus

      Screen print with Friedrich motif

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    50. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Karl Mühlbach 2023

      Children's tour through the Caspar David Friedrich Center

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    51. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V.

      Friedrich Andreoni: This all sounds

      Read more: "Friedrich Andreoni: This all sounds"
    52. © Wally Pruß

      Culinary city tour

      Read more: "Culinary city tour"
    53. © Maren Winter

      Caspar peek into the world

      Read more: "Caspar peek into the world"
    54. © Jenny Thalheim

      Watercolor course

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    55. © Peter van Heesen

      The fable of Filemon Faltenreich or the soccer world championship of flies

      Read more: "The fable of Filemon Faltenreich or the soccer world championship of flies"
    56. © Musikschule Greifswald

      Matinée

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    57. © Marc Odre

      Star Combo Meissen

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    58. © St.Spiritus

      Glass bead workshop

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    59. © ©Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gesellschaft e. V., Foto: Sophie Müller 2024

      CDF drawing course

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    60. © Theaterwerft

      Mary finds Plesio - The discovery of the dinosaurs

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    1 - 2 from 60

    Greifswald Hotels

    7 Ergebnisse
    • © Jack & Richie‘s

      Jack & Richie's

      • An der Mühle, 17493 Greifswald

      Welcome to Greifswald's Jack & Richie's, located directly at the listed Wiecker wooden bascule bridge and the nearby marina.

      Read more: "Jack & Richie's"
    • © Hotel Kronprinz

      Hotel Kronprinz

      • Lange Straße, 17489 Greifswald

      Hotel Kronprinz in Greifswald offers 31 rooms in a central location

      Read more: "Hotel Kronprinz"
    • Visit the Stettiner Hof directly on the Baltic Sea Cycle Route in Neuenkirchen near Greifswald, © Stettiner Hof

      Stettiner Hof

      • Theodor-Körner-Straße, 17498 Greifswald-Neuenkirchen

      Welcome to the Stettiner Hof! Enjoy your stay away from stress and city noises, directly at the gates of Greifswald. The charming atmosphere and regional cuisine will win you over. The hotel offers up to 21 comfortable rooms and 3 spacious suits. WIFI is free all around the house. We wish you nice days.

      Read more: "Stettiner Hof"
    • © VCH Hotel

      VCH Hotel

      • Wilhelm-Holtz-Straße, 17489 Greifswald

      VCH Hotel in Greifswald with 78 rooms including breakfast

      Read more: "VCH Hotel"
    • © Mercure Hotel

      Mercure Hotel Greifswald

      • Am Gorzberg, 17489 Greifswald

      Look forward to relaxing days at the beautiful Baltic Sea!

      Read more: "Mercure Hotel Greifswald"
    • © Hotel Ostseeländer

      Hotel Ostseeländer

      • Gustav-Jahn-Str. 6, 17495 Züssow

      Hotel Ostseeländer is located in a beautiful park and has individually furnished rooms. Despite its quiet location, the ideal starting point for (almost) all activities. The cuisine is characterized by regionality and products from our own organic cultivation.

      Read more: "Hotel Ostseeländer"
    • slube at the marina Greifswald

      • Salinenstraße, 17489 Greifswald

      Coastal feeling meets cool student city: With slubes you stay right in the heart of Greifswald at the marina overlooking the Ryck River. Directly between Rügen and Usedom, it is not far to the Baltic Sea beach and great windsurfing and sailing locations.

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