Explore the Culture and Historical Heritage

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is not only a highly attractive tourist destination due to its natural beauties and rich wildlife, but also an immensely popular culture trip destination for those interested to learn more about the culture and historic past of Germany. More than 2000 castles, manor houses and stately homes in a variety of architectural styles illustrate the background of the 800-year history of the Mecklenburg grand dukes. Museums, old universities and brick gothic churches such as Saint Georgen in the city of Wismar provide fascinating insight into the medieval way of life of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Northern Germany. Along the coast the seaside resorts set their own accents with the so-called spa architecture, an easily recognizable style typical for these resort buildings.

From cities, castles and manor houses to music and art, there is something for everyone to experience in this region filled with hidden gems. City tours will provide immediate insight into gorgeous medieval cities such as Schwerin, Wismar and Stralsund, notable pearls of the land in many aspects, rich in history and cultural treasures.

The castle Schwerin is a perfect example of unique things to discover. The castle itself is situated on a small island in the midst of Schwerin Lake, and is surrounded by impressive parks and gardens. This masterpiece of architecture resembles castles from romantic fairy tales and is a remarkable landmark for the City of Schwerin and the region.

Wismar is the prime example of a place where the time seems to stand still. This beautiful hanseatic city, whose historical old town has been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site, was founded in 1226 and offers an impressive amount of old gabled houses to discover, built in the specific brick gothic architecture style typical of Northern Germany.

The old town of Stralsund has also been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site and was one of the most prosperous medieval cities of the Hanseatic League. Rich in historic buildings with their distinctive gabled roofs, the old town reveals the way of life as it was the norm throughout the centuries, particularly in the “Old Market Square” that served as the beating heart of the city. Stralsund is especially well known for the most impressive three medieval Brick Gothic churches, namely the St. Mary's Church, St. Nicholas Church and St. James Church.

For centuries, the Baltic region has captivated the imagination of countless artists and attracted them to these parts of Germany, including - among many others - the famous painters Caspar David Friedrich and Philipp Otto Runge, who lived and worked in Vorpommern. Currently there are three artist colonies, Ahrenshoop, Schwaan and Hiddensee, that house a number of artists and display their formative works. The solemn and peaceful quality of both the cultural and historical heritage as well as the natural beauties of the region make it a perfect destination for not only cultural tourism, but also those interested in escaping the hustles of daily lives and creating the works of art of any kind in these tranquil sanctuaries.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's museums are like the state itself: full of surprises and stories. From historic steam locomotives to sparkling amber and masterpieces of art, every collection opens a window into another world. Sometimes wild like the local animal kingdom, sometimes quiet like the brick churches on the coast. A place where past, present and the extraordinary come together.

There is a large number of exciting events one can attend to throughout the year on the culture trip to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, offering something for every taste. Music concerts at extraordinary and unusual places, multi-faceted museums, fascinating outdoor theatre performances and breath-taking festivals are only some of the cultural tourist attractions available.

During the summer, the festival season delights the visitors with its classical music festivals and numerous jazz concerts, oftentimes taking place as open-air events at unforgettable venues. Many different music and theatre performances take place in quaint fishing villages and seaside resorts, with the landscape of the Baltic Sea forming the impressive and unique background.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is tightly filled with various cultural tourist attractions, providing unforgettable insights in the medieval way of life for anyone interested in exploration of the cultural heritage of Germany that was predominant in these regions for centuries, and is still largely preserved in our modern times. You can find upcoming events in our event calendar.