In the 19th century, the people of Schwerin turned a former mill pond into a gem with a promenade surrounded by linden trees and a sun terrace in the middle of the city. On the Pfaffenteich the passenger ferry Petermännchen shuttles during the season.
There is a true story behind the name of Schwerin's "little Binnenalster". On the eastern shore of the man-made lake, priests and bishops of the nearby cathedral parish once cultivated their gardens. Probably as early as the 12th century, a dam was raised to impound water for the operation of a mill. The former "Mühlenteich" used to extend as far as today's Schlossstraße; the water also fed the former town moat.
The Pfaffenteich in its present form has an area of about 12 hectares and was redesigned at the end of the 19th century. The water is surrounded by a wide promenade, which really invites to stroll. Numerous beautiful historic town houses surround the Pfaffenteich. Two sun terraces offer nice places to linger and enjoy the view.
The small Pfaffenteich ferry "Petermännchen", which shuttles - without a timetable - between the banks, also has a tradition.
