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Three majestic castles
The Schwerin Palace
Schwerin’s unique landmark -the Palace- seems to be taken straight out of a fairytale and is situated on an island in lake Schweriner See. It was once the seat of Mecklenburgian dukes and today houses the parliament of the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern plus the impressive castle museum. In the museum you have the opportunity to view the chambers and representational rooms of the grand dukes, the magnificent throne hall and much more. A skillfully designed garden and beautiful paths invite you to wander through the palace gardens. And if after all that walking you feel like you need to sit down and take in what you’ve just seen, the “Schlosscafé” and the “Orangerie” are the perfect places to do that.
The baroque palace in Ludwigslust
In the 18th and beginning 19th century the town of Ludwigslust was the ducal seat of Mecklenburg. The place owes its name to duke Christian Ludwig II., who renamed the small village Klenow when he had a hunting lodge built in it. His successor duke Friedrich decided to live there too, and thus expanded and developed the castle further. He moved his residence from Schwerin to Ludwigslust so that for some time it even became the main residence of the entire ducal family. Today the glorious building represents one of the last preserved baroque castles in northern Germany. Within the grounds there is also a large parkland, which spreads over 120 hectares and contains rare types of trees and ornamental plants such as the swamp cypress, magnolia and giant redwood. The highlight of the park is the ducal fountain.
Güstrow - the city of art
Güstrow is a beautiful small town only an hour’s drive from Schwerin. The sculptor Ernst Barlach was its most famous citizen and his legacy is still being honoured. Visitors are usually interested to see his studio and the museums of the town, as well as the renaissance castle, the cathedral, the market square and the various town houses from different eras. A little outside of Güstrow you’ll find the Nature and Environment Park (Natur- und Umweltpark Güstrow), where wolves, bears and other animals live in large outdoor enclosures. Its other attractions are the Aqua Tunnel, the petting zoo and an adventure playground. For those who are brave enough there are guided tours at night or in the evenings and when the moon is full, you can hear the wolves howl.
