Situated on a hill between Plau am See and Lübz in beautiful Mecklenburg, the historic Benzin brickworks is sleepy and picturesque. Visiting the last publicly accessible brickyard in Mecklenburg, with its huge walk-in ring kiln and still functioning technology, is an experience.
The brickyard was closed down in 1990, is a worth seeing technical monument of the Elde region and is located at the edge of the Mecklenburg Lake District. The whole brickyard can be visited with all its rooms, its technology and during a guided tour one learns the basics about brickmaking and the industrial revolution through the gigantic Hoffmann ring kiln. Anecdotes about the history of brickmaking complete the tour. It is also possible to explore the grounds, with all the other buildings in which there are workshops that can be used on request. For example, the studio of the Russian painter Valeriy Bigday, whose works can be seen in the Brickyard Gallery.
The 12-hectare site with the two-hectare abandoned clay pit, which is now a biotope, invites visitors to linger. Seven cozy wooden adobe houses can be used for overnight stays, and the brickyard café caters for the physical well-being, e.g. with fresh, home-baked sheet cake. In addition to sightseeing, visitors can use the playground and play miniature golf or take a ride on the trolley train, weather permitting. The brickyard is a worthwhile vacation destination for the whole family!
