Kröpelin: Museums, Churches and History

Music and local history, church architecture and a historic trail come together in Kröpelin. The Ostrock Museum looks back on 40 years of East German rock music and cultural history during the GDR; the town museum focuses on the town’s development, from its archaeological beginnings to the founding of the present-day town. Another factor to consider when choosing where to stay is the distance to the Baltic Sea resorts: Kühlungsborn, Rerik and Heiligendamm are 10 kilometres from Kröpelin. This lets you take local cultural themes and views of the coastal towns into account when choosing your destination.

Ostrock Museum and Local History

The Ostrock Museum in Kröpelin presents a cross-section of East German rock music and cultural history spanning 40 years of the GDR. It is an interactive experience museum divided into five thematic areas. The 40 years of the GDR provide the time frame, while the five areas organise the topics. Kröpelin Town Museum focuses on local history: it presents the town’s history, from its archaeological beginnings and the settlement’s origins to the founding of the present-day town. The two museums therefore cover different scales—the rock and cultural history of the GDR and the development of Kröpelin. If you are planning your stay around your cultural interests, you can consider which of these focuses appeals to you more.

Churches and Historic Sites

The Evangelical church in Kröpelin was built of brick between the 13th and 15th centuries. A separate date in the church’s history concerns the bronze baptismal font: it was cast in Rostock in 1508. This brings together a building erected over several centuries and an object dated to a specific year. The branch church of St. Joseph represents a much later period. It was converted into a church in 1962 and consecrated in 1963. These dates refer to the conversion and consecration, not to the construction of the Evangelical church.

A historic trail leads to other sites of historical interest in Kröpelin. The church, town hall and mill are among the town’s historic sites. The churches and trail complement the museum themes with architectural history and other settings from the town’s past.

More to Explore in the Wider Rostock Destination

Nature and outdoor attractions are among the other themes to consider when planning a trip in the wider Rostock destination. In Sternberg Lake District Nature Park, deeply incised breakthrough valleys along the Warnow, numerous lakes, picturesque hills and extensive forests invite you to hike and cycle. At Wildpark-MV, you can explore the park independently or join guided walks, including wolf, owl and evening walks. The offerings have different focuses: the nature park centres on the landscape and hiking or cycling, while Wildpark-MV offers independent exploration or themed guided tours.

Schwaan Climbing and Adventure Forest has seven courses for children, beginners and advanced climbers. Its Flying Fox zip line is 116.5 metres long and runs directly over the lake. If you plan to tackle the courses, check the latest information before your visit, as facilities may change following redevelopment. Another regional option is the historic Molli narrow-gauge railway: it runs between Kühlungsborn and Bad Doberan and is the oldest narrow-gauge railway on the Baltic coast.

Discover more destinations: Amt Neubukow-Salzhaff, Amt Warnow-West, Amt Mecklenburgische Schweiz, Bad Doberan, Satow, Reppelin, Kessin, Niekrenz

Back to the wider travel overview: Rostock.