Merchants' houses and lovingly restored Gothic brick buildings characterize this university town. Gabled town houses surround the market place and charming churches reflect the wealth the town gained during the Hanse period: this is the Hanseatic City of Greifswald.

Greifswald, Hanseatic city and university town, is situated between the two largest islands of Germany, the Isles of Rügen and Usedom. Caspar David Friedrich [1774 - 1840], Romantic painter and the town's most famous son, has portrayed the magic of the ruined monastery Eldena in many of his paintings. The monastery "Hilda" was founded in 1199 by Cistercian monks and is regarded as the cradle of Greifswald. In 1250, the settlement received the municipal law by Duke Wartislaw III. Art and culture of the highest standard can be found all over the town. Many little galleries are being established around the Pomeranian State Museum ["Pommersches Landesmuseum"], which also hosts many interesting painting collections, right in the city centre. The summer Jazz Evenings at Eldena monastery, the cultural festival Nordischer Klang [Nordic Sound] and the Bach Week are events you don't want to miss.

The three large parish churches - St Mary's, St Jacob's and St Nicholas' - are very impressive. If you enter Greifswald from the north, you have the same view of the town as Caspar David Friedrich had. Paintings by this famous painter are exhibited in the Pomeranian State Museum. The University of Greifswald was founded in 1456; it has been centre of tradition and constant source of innovation ever since. The character of the town is still shaped by students. Greifswald has also become an attractive location for technology and research institutes. The Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, the College of Biotechnology and the Centre of Technology Vorpommern are just a few institutions profiting from this development.

Also, you don't want to miss the marina and the fishing village of Wieck. With its historic wooden bascule bridge and promenade, Wieck is an interesting combination of tradition, seafaring, trade and future-orientated innovation in the Hanseatic City of Greifswald.