The Romantic era in Vorpommern - Where painters just have to paint
Caspar David Friedrich and his artist friends worked in Vorpommern, a region that also served them as a source of inspiration. They made the Bay of Greifswald region the home of Romanticism.
A sunset on the coast of Vorpommern invites you to relax and take a deep breath. Famous painters already enjoyed this 200 years ago. With these fascinating proportions of light and shadow in the nature of Vorpommern, the artists had to reach directly to the tools and begin the process of creating new works. Caspar David Friedrich is probably the most famous among them, who wanted to get back to nature and to himself and thus made Vorpommern a place of pilgrimage for the Romanticists.
Caspar David Friedrich was born in Greifswald 1774. He is regarded as the most important painter and drawer of German early Romanticism, and he returned to his home region on the coast of the Bay of Greifswald many times. The northern German landscape had a lasting impact on Friedrich’s personality as well as his painting, and it made him a forerunner of a new outlook on art and landscape. One more reason for a vacation in Vorpommern is the annual event "A Day with Caspar David Friedrich", which was introduced in honor of the most famous son of the Hanseatic and University City of Greifswald. Places of Romanticism in and around Greifswald, which served the painter as a source of inspiration and motifs, can be experienced on foot or by bicycle throughout the year, such as the ruins of the Eldena monastery ruin, a remnant of the Cistercian monastery founded in 1199.
If you want to take a closer look at the works of Caspar David Friedrich, the Pomeranian State Museum is the right place to go. In addition to Friedrich's works, other valuable collections are presented there, by painters such as Philipp Otto Runge, Max Liebermann or Vincent van Gogh. Especially Philipp Otto Runge from Wolgast, as a close friend of Friedrich, went down in history as a versatile painter of the 19th century. Or Friedrich August von Klinkowström, who was responsible for the artistic design of Ludwigsburg palace. You can find out more about the most famous representatives, their stations in life and places of activity on the Route of North German Romanticism.
If you want to experience the landscape of Vorpommern as well as art, you will do everything right with a sailing trip. In many harbours of Vorpommern you can get on historic traditional sailing ships, like the traditional sailing ship Weisse Düne in Wolgast, and experience a lot. In Greifswald, the image of the Museum harbour Greifswald is characterized by about 45 traditional ships, with numerous sailors offering excursions and sailing trips.
So it is called to enjoy the romantic Vorpommern from the water side.
Places of Romanticism
Caspar David Friedrich Centre
The Caspar David Friedrich Centre was opened in 2004 in the old soap factory in remembrance of the great artist and the most famous son of the city of Greifswald. It was extended in 2011 to include the entire former residential and business premises of the Friedrich family. The centre is an exhibition and document space as well as a research centre.
Pomeranian State Museum
14,000 years of eventful history on the southern Baltic coast on both sides of the Oder River are presented between the former Franciscan church and the city wall - in an award-winning building ensemble that impressively combines Gothic, Classicist and contemporary architecture. The precious collection of paintings presents works by renowned painters such as Caspar David Friedrich, Frans Hals, Philipp Otto Runge, Max Liebermann, Max Pechstein and Vincent van Gogh.
Greifswald Museum Harbour
Gaff ketch and schooner, seaquat and ramship, cruiser and kragejolle - about 45 old ships characterise the image of the museum harbour in Greifswald, which was founded in 1991 following the example of the museum harbours in Flensburg and Hamburg. With this, the Hanseatic townspeople reacted to the increased interest in historic ships and traditional seamanship.
Eldena Abbey
Eldena Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, originally named Hilda Abbey. Only ruins survive of the monastery, which was founded in 1199 and is well known as a frequent subject of Caspar David Friedrich's paintings.
Ludwigsburg Palace
The Renaissance palace Ludwigsburg was built between 1577 and 1592 as a widow's seat for Hedwig Sophie von Pommern-Wolgast. After her death in 1631 the palace changed hands several times until it was sold to the Greifswald merchant Weissenborn in 1810.
Ludwigsburg Natural Beach
Ludwigsburg beach is a popular destination for holidaymakers and locals. On hot summer days you can relax in a shady spot under the pine trees of the coastal forest or enjoy the rustic food and drink in a local inn. The homemade cakes are highly recommended.Kiters and surfers will love the beach and the shallow water of the Danish Wiek and the Bay of Greifswald.
Natural Beach Vierow
Not far from the small industrial port of Vierow and about 2 km from the village of Vierow, you can reach the natural beach Vierow on a hiking and cycling path. Lined by small and large stones and protected by a cliff about 1 to 3 meters high, the southern coast of Rügen with Zudar and peninsula Mönchgut in sight. Already Caspar-David Friedrich looked from here to the island of Rügen and drew “Fischerboote am Strand”.
Seaside Resort of Lubmin
The peaceful seaside resort of Lubmin with its 350 m long pier, a wide child-friendly sandy beach and picturesque and quaint pine forests is perfect for a family holiday. Lubmin is one of the stations of the "Route of North German Romanticism".
City Harbour Wolgast
The city harbour of Wolgast spreads an impressive maritime flair and is part of the "Route of the North German Romanticism." . Passenger ships set off on excursions into the backwater and to the Bay of Greifswald. The sailing ship "Weisse Düne" invites guests for a trip. A sensational view to the Petrikirche and the city centre is offered to the viewer. The imposing bascule bridge to the island of Usedom and the Peene shipyard characterise the town on the Peene river.
