Towns
In the footsteps of merchants and princes
Like treasure chests the towns of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern house exceptional cultural heirlooms. Cloisters, churches, royal buildings, art collections and many museums tell tales that seem right out of a storybook.
Expansive pedestrian zones in the carefully restored inner cities accommodate smart shops, cosy cafés and modern shopping temples. In between, fine restaurants and rustic pubs invite people to visit.
Hanseatic Towns
The trade by sea in the alliance of the Hanseatic League and busy merchants ensured an immense upswing in the coastal towns in the late Middle Ages. As a sign of their power which could be seen from a long distance Rostock, Stralsund, Greifswald and Wismar built magnificent town halls and huge churches. The brick cathedrals towered above everything which had existed until then. Monumental church towers and huge warehouses made of burnt bricks still determine their silhouettes. Merchant houses with magnificent gables, town halls with filigree spires show that the Middle Ages cannot have been quite as dark in this region as is often claimed.
The historic town centers of Wismar and Stralsund belong to the UNESCO world heritage.
Because so much success also increased greediness the town elders built powerful fortifications. The fortification of Neubrandenburg is considered to be one of the most beautiful. Richly decorated gates and an almost closed ring wall express the former wealth.
Residence Towns
The former residence towns surely are grand. In Güstrow, Ludwigslust and Neustrelitz you get a sense of dukes‘ glamour to this day. And above all of them resides the provincial capital of Schwerin with its fairytale castle. Ports, castles and parks transform into theatre and concert halls in the summer.
Events all year round
Atmospheric productions and fiery open-air spectacles in summer entertain the audience everywhere. The event season is crowned by the Rostock Hanse Sail. The meeting of the sailing boats and traditional tall ships is one of the largest in the world. Traditional, romantic and typically German are the Christmas markets in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
