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Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a jewel for architecture lovers. It combines Brick Gothic (and Hanseatic) architecture with Renaissance and modern ones. In this video, we discover the towns of Neubrandenburg, Greifswald, Rostock, Wismar, and Schwerin.
00:00 Intro
00:10 Neubrandenburg
02:18 Greifswald
04:43 Rostock
11:11 Wismar
13:55 Schwerin
Today we’re going to explore the architectural wonders of northeast Germany. Please enjoy the trip! Our first stop is this small town called Neubrandenburg. In front of us is this beautiful medieval gate. This Brick Gothic architecture is typical of North Germany. Feels like we’re in the middle of a medieval town! Here we are at the magnificent Saint Mary Church. The clock tower looks really impressive. It’s surrounded by some communist buildings. Imagine, this church has stood here since 1298! The church today functions as a concert hall. Check out this medieval gate, notice something different? We can see unique statues, really interesting! This town is surrounded by medieval walls. And there are charming half-timbered houses too. Uh-oh, looks like the weather is getting bad. A rainstorm is coming. We’re taking shelter under a medieval gate, how cozy! The sound of rain is really soothing. Wow, a dedicated cyclist braving the rain! Even the birds are seeking refuge. So cute birdies also don’t like to get wet. The weather is slowly improving. Time to head to our next destination. Welcome to Greifswald, a university town. It’s located around 1 hour from Neubrandenburg. These half-timbered houses are really charming! And this church is also called Saint Mary’s Church. Brick Gothic architecture never ceases to amaze me. This church dates back to the mid-13th century! It has survived so many wars and calamities. Now we’re at the Markplatz, the most beautiful part of the town. It’s full of students and tourists. That building in the middle is really nice. The exterior details are simply breathtaking. This red building is the town hall. The sun is hiding right behind. Here’s more views of the Marktplatz. In the background, you can see St. Mary’s Church. There it is! The town hall looks different from here. Cycling a day keeps the doctor away. This town hall dates back to the 14th century! Inside, you can meet the Lord Mayor of Greifswald. Such an impressive building. Here’s our last stop in Greifswald: St. Nikolai’s Church. The church dates back to the 13th century. Now we’re in one of the bigger cities here, Rostock. This is the magnificent St. Peter’s Church from the 13th century. This impressive tower is 117 meter high! Rostock is rich with historical buildings. What a charming yellow building. There’s a nice historical skybridge here. Brick Gothic buildings are so nice to see. Tips: come here on Sunday for a relaxing vibe. As you can hear, it’s really quiet here. Rostock is truly a gem for lovers of traditional architecture. This is the Neuer Markt (New Market). The impressive St. Mary’s Church looms over. A tram is passing through the square. That cute pink building is the town hall. Do you prefer cycling or taking the tram? There’s an Italian food festival there. This town has such a relaxing vibe! Maybe because it’s a Sunday? Saturday will be really packed. So Sunday is a really good day for travelling in Germany. Wow, look at those lavender! The scent of the lavender is really nice. And here’s St. Mary’s Church up close! There’s an interesting wooden structure there. What a big bell tower. Did you know this church dates back to the 13th century? Let’s go inside! We’re now inside this Protestant church. Look at those stained windows. And look at that beautiful altarpiece! Truly a masterpiece, even if a part is missing. The church’s interior is so rich in religious art. It’s impressive how well-decorated this Protestant church is. Check out this pulpit. Imagine delivering a sermon from here! And here’s the highlight of the church: a medieval astronomical clock. Every detail is just mesmerising… Absolutely impressive. More nice decorations ahead. There’s a grim reaper with a noble family?!? And are those sirens? Every corner reveals more detailed craftsmanship. Such sophistication and complexity! Truly a marvel from the medieval era. A symphony of art and science. Don’t miss the decorations above. This one also caught my eye. A baptismal font dating back to 1290! What a beautiful church, definitely a highlight. Now, let’s explore the buildings nearby. This is the heart of the historic old town. Notice the vibrant colors of these houses! Take a look at this unique McDonald’s! The first time I saw a McDonald’s in this type of architecture. The old town is simply enchanting. There’s a fountain with the university in the background. That new building must be inspired from Brick Gothic architecture. And there’s the Kröpeliner Tor, dating back to 1270! Imagine if the walls were still intact. Notice the ox head: it’s the symbol of the Mecklenburg region. Church bells are so soothing. I really love listening to church bells, it’s therapeutic. Rostock has become one of my favorite German cities! Now, we’re exploring another Hanseatic town: Wismar. There are many architectural wonders here. Imagine getting married in Wismar! Here’s the historical Marktplatz. Much of the town was destroyed during World War II. But that fountain in the middle survived. It’s a water fountain built in 1602. And look—a mermaid and a merman! … no comment But it’s a really interesting fountain. That one is the town hall. It’s a new building from 1819. Many of the houses here are reconstructed after the fall of East Germany. It’s truly an example of architectural revival. I think it’s nicer to reconstruct than building brutalist houses. We should not lose our architectural heritage. So it was a really good idea to reconstruct the town. Don’t miss the lion pharmacy! It’s owned by that capitalist lion. And there’s St. Nicholas Church. Seems like people here loved St. Nicholas or Mary. I’m admiring this small canal. The architecture here is so uniquely medieval. Feels like stepping back in time. Now we’re at the port area. Looks like there’s a mini fair! Ahoy! An excursion boat sails by. There’s the Wismar Eye. Wismar is definitely a nice town to visit, but it’s time to continue the journey. Look at that enchanting castle. It’s straight out of a fairy tale! Schwerin is the capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The castle hosts the parliament of the state. But in the past it was the residence of the dukes of Mecklenburg. Look at those adorable geese! Feasting like royalty! And there’s some nice statues. The castle garden is really serene. Perfect for a leisurely stroll. But don’t try to swim in the pond, only the geese can do that. Aww, baby geese! They’re just too cute! The geese have formed a local gang. They’re more cute than menacing. A statue dedicated to a notable figure. He clearly loved horses! The castle is located on an island. This big lake is called Lake Schwerin. There’s a lot of lakes in this area. Look, a stork! But no babies… Schwerin Castle truly is a fairy tale come to life. They even call it the Neuschwanstein of the North! This castle was built in 1857. Parts of it are under renovation now. There are some statues there. That’s the bridge connecting the castle with the town. Such a romantic castle… There’s a weird statue here. Hybrid pegasus-mermaid? The castle from here looks really dreamlike. The bridge is also romantic, ideal for couples. Perfect for those fairytale wedding photos! You can feel like a prince or princess. Fun fact: Mecklenburg used to be its own country before German unification. There you can see the State Theatre. It was built in 1886. Here you can see the victory column. It was built to celebrate a victory against France in 1871. This classical building is the State Chancellery. So the Minister-President of this state works here. This town has nice neoclassical buildings. It’s really different from the Hanseatic cities. Now we’re at the Marktplatz. Behold these impressive neoclassical structures. This is the town hall, looks like a castle. There’s even a golden knight here. And over there is St. Mary’s Cathedral. It’s an interesting contrast of architecture. A cute lion! There are also nice houses there. It’s a really nice square. The friendly lion watches over the town hall. But there’s a scary horsie here… This monument is a tribute to the founder of the city, Heinrich the Lion. That’s why there is a lion here 🙂 Too bad someone vandalised the statue with a sticker. Here’s our last stop for today, the Cathedral. Hope you enjoyed these sights as much as I did. See you at the next destination!
1 Comment
After 1989 and the reunification of the following year it quickly became possible for us to travel freely to the East. In the next few years we were able to visit all the places you highlighted. We were amazed by the wealth of old buildings that had survived the years and indeed whole streets of ancient structures. There had been some restoration under communism but much was dilapidated and there were still many ruins and empty spaces dating from WW2. It has been incredible to see the widespread reconstruction and restoration that has taken place. obviously there are many more examples that you could show. Personal favourites include Erfurt & Dresden further south, Potsdam, and in the north Stralsund. Just wish that digital photography had been around then as many of those earlier images are on colour slide. Would love one day to try and compare those images of thirty odd years ago with today. Thanks for putting together this interesting compilation. I enjoyed watching.