Top Attractions in Schwerin

Despite protests from Rostock, the smaller town of Schwerin was chosen as the capital of the newly united state of Mecklenburg-Lower Pomerania. This was an inspired choice as the town is picturesquely situated amid several lakes, with a fairy-tale castle on an island, and an enchanting old town with many Neo-Classical and historic buildings that survived World War II largely unscathed. Apart from a brief spell, the Mecklenburg dukes resided in Schwerin from 1318–1918. Intellectual life flourished here in the 16th century and so the city is known as “Florence of the North”.

Exploring Schwerin

The old town of Schwerin is situated between Pfaffenteich railway station and Schweriner See, a vast 65-sq km (25- sq mile) lake. All the town’s most important tourist attractions can easily be visited on foot. Close by to the north is Schelf, which was once a separate town.

Schloss

Situated on Burg Island, this castle is often referred to as the “Neuschwanstein of Mecklenburg”, after the famous Bavarian castle. The Schweriner Schloss was in fact largely built in 1843–57 to an eclectic design by Georg Adolph Demmler and Friedrich August Stuler, who were inspired by the turrets of Chateau Chambord in France.

Major refurbishment tried to recreate some of the castle’s original Renaissance features, of which only the ceramic decorations have remained. Inside, the castle chapel built by Johan Batista Parra in 1560–63 has survived. The elegant rooms in the castle – Thronsaal (throne chamber), Ahnengalerie (ancestral gallery), Rote Audienz (red auditorium), Speisesaal (dining chamber) – are decorated with gilded stucco work. Despite the proliferation of their styles these rooms delight visitors, transporting them back to the 19th century.

Burg-und Schlossgarten

The remaining part of the island is occupied by the Burggarten (fortress garden), which has an orangery and an artificial grotto, built from granite around 1850. A bridge leads to the larger Schlossgarten (castle garden) which is a favourite place for the town’s inhabitants to relax.

The Kreuzkanal, a canal built in 1748–56, one of the garden’s axes, is lined with copies of Baroque statues including the Four Seasons, created by the renowned sculptor of the Dresden Zwinger, Balthasar Permoser.