Süderholz: Castle Parks and Historic Churches

In Süderholz, historic buildings and parklands offer distinct highlights. In Griebenow, a distinctive castle chapel and the historic castle park take centre stage; in Rakow, a former pilgrimage church and a Fischer organ shape the cultural character. In Klevenow, specific features include a small chapel, the history of the castle of the same name and Klevenow Castle Park. These places can help you decide what to focus on when planning your trip: historic architecture, ecclesiastical heritage or parkland.

Griebenow Castle: Architecture and Park

Griebenow Castle Chapel was built in 1654 and is a 15-sided central-plan building made of half-timbering. The term “central-plan building” refers to a structure whose floor plan is arranged around a central point; the fifteen sides give the building a distinctive geometric form. The chapel therefore provides a specific example of a distinctive historic architectural style in Süderholz.

Inside, the altar, patron’s pews, pulpit and organ have largely been preserved in their original condition. The furnishings bring together different elements of the church interior: the altar, the patron’s seating, the pulpit and the organ. Together, these largely original pieces give the interior a distinct architectural and cultural character.

The historic park at Griebenow Castle was first documented in 1706 and today covers around 15 hectares. One of its features is a rectangular castle island. Visitors walking through the park can experience rich biodiversity in its flora and fauna. By contrast, Klevenow Castle Park has a pond with two islands; many rare woody plants and several impressive natural monuments can still be found there. The landscape features thus differ in specific ways: at Griebenow, the castle island and biodiversity are highlights; at Klevenow, they are the pond, islands and woody plants.

A café run by an association is located on the ground floor of Griebenow Castle and serves coffee and cake specialities. It operates seasonally; check whether the café will be open on the date of your visit.

Churches, Pilgrimage History and a Listed Monument

The Church of the “Holy Body” in Rakow is a former medieval pilgrimage church, which was probably associated with a host miracle. The church also houses a Fischer organ. Two distinct aspects come together here: the church’s former pilgrimage history and its musical feature, the organ.

Klevenow, too, brings together a church building and local history. The small Klevenow Chapel in what is now Süderholz was probably built between 1650 and 1730 on the remains of the ramparts of the castle of the same name. The construction dates within this period remain uncertain. In Griebenow, the mile obelisk on the L26 adds another historic feature: it is listed as a historic building in the Vorpommern-Rügen district’s register of monuments.

When planning your trip, you can therefore choose from different areas of focus: the architectural design and largely original furnishings of the castle chapel, the former pilgrimage church in Rakow, or the landscape features of the parks in Griebenow and Klevenow. This gives you a way to explore Süderholz through specific places and themes before looking for a hotel for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Mönchgut-Granitz District, Putbus, Franzburg-Richtenberg District, Marlow, Stralsund, Niepars District, Bergen auf Rügen District, West-Rügen District.

Back to the main travel overview: Vorpommern-Rügen.