Schwerin

Schwerin is the state capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It is famous for its romantic palace, the seven lakes around the city and its well-preserved old town.

Understand


Zuarina was founded as a Slavic fortress in the 10th or 11th century. In the 12th century, it was conquered by Germans and the region was Christianised. Schwerin was made the seat of a county, that later evolved into the Duchy of Mecklenburg. While Schwerin remained the political centre, the Hanseatic seaports Rostock and Wismar were more prosperous and grew faster.

Around 1765, Duke Frederick II ("the Pious") moved his residence to Ludwigslust, a Baroque new town planned on a drawing board, 40 km south of Schwerin (like Louis XIV of France had moved his residence from Paris to Versailles). In 1837, the capital was moved back to Schwerin. Grand Duke Frederick Francis II who was on the throne from 1842 to 1883 had Schwerin's castle completely rebuilt in a fancyful, romantic style. It is now known as a "fairytale castle" or "Neuschwanstein of the north".

During the Cold War and German partition, Schwerin was one of East Germany's 15 district seats. Despite Rostock being larger, Schwerin remains the state capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, re-established after Germany's re-unification of 1990. Its regained political importance and its location within the Hamburg Metropolitan Region notwithstanding, Schwerin's population dropped by 30% between 1989 and 2012, recovering slightly since then. With around 95,000 inhabitants it is the smallest German state capital and the only state capital not to be a "Großstadt", a city above 100,000, as defined by German statistics.

Tourist information

 * Schwerin tourism website

By plane
The closest major airport is Hamburg, 115 km from Schwerin (1½ hours by train). Rostock airport is a little closer (78 km), but little frequented. Berlin Brandenburg Airport is further off (some 200 km) and less conveniently connected - one option is to take the IC to Rostock and change trains there.

By rail

 * Traveling from Berlin takes about 2 hours and requires to change trains in Ludwigslust.
 * Regional trains connect Schwerin at an hourly interval with Wismar (25 min), Ludwigslust (30 min), Parchim (45 min); two-hourly with Wittenberge (55 min), Hamburg (1:25 h), Berlin (2½ h). They stop at in addition to the main station.
 * Regional trains connect Schwerin at an hourly interval with Wismar (25 min), Ludwigslust (30 min), Parchim (45 min); two-hourly with Wittenberge (55 min), Hamburg (1:25 h), Berlin (2½ h). They stop at in addition to the main station.

By car
Schwerin is just of the A 14 about 200 km northwest of Berlin and 100 km east of Hamburg using the A 24. Lübeck is about 65 km and 90 km from Rostock via the A20.

By tram
Schwerin has a tram network some long, serving most of the city.

Do

 * Climb the tower of the Schwerin Cathedral. Go via the main entrance, then go to the back of the pews, pay the attendant €2 and climb the spiral staircase. At the top, there are 360 degree views of the city.
 * Cycle around Lake Schwerin, or only the nearer half of it (Innensee, )
 * Cycle around Lake Schwerin, or only the nearer half of it (Innensee, )
 * Cycle around Lake Schwerin, or only the nearer half of it (Innensee, )

Go next

 * Wismar, medieval seaport and mercantile city of the Hanseatic League, Unesco World Heritage, 30 km north (30 min by train)
 * Ludwigslust, Mecklenburg's secondary residence during the Baroque era, dubbed "Versailles of Northern Germany", 38 km south (35 min by train)
 * Poel, island in the Baltic Sea, 45 km north (one hour by train and bus via Wismar)
 * Ratzeburg, former capital of the tiny Duchy of Lauenburg, surrounded by four lakes, 47 km west (1:20 h by train via Büchen)
 * Boltenhagen, Baltic sea resort, 50 km northwest (1:20 h by train and bus via Wismar)
 * Güstrow, 60 km east (50–55 min by train via Bützow or Bad Kleinen)
 * Lübeck, 70 km northwest (1:10 h by train via Bad Kleinen)
 * Kühlungsborn, posh seaside resort, 75 km north
 * Rostock, East Germany's major international port and biggest city of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, 90 km northeast (50–60 min by train)
 * Stralsund, to see the Ozeaneum (2h by train)
 * Prora, with treetop walks and tower.