Discover Finkenthal: Village History and Nature

Finkenthal combines architectural and village history with walks in the surrounding area. Historic landmarks include a half-timbered chapel, the listed Low German hall house at Hufe V, and the Forsthof complex. To the north of the village are the remains of a motte-and-bailey castle; nearby deciduous forests display carpets of corydalis and anemones in spring. Village history and nature offer different focal points for planning a trip.

Chapel and Church History

The chapel in Finkenthal was built in 1805 in a simple half-timbered style on the site of a place of worship first mentioned in 1560. It is a branch church of Altkalen. Its organ was made in 1831 by Cordes, the sexton of Altkalen. Altkalen features here in two contexts: its church affiliation and Cordes’s role as sexton.

Hall House and Forsthof

The Low German hall house at Hufe V has retained its original appearance and is a listed building. The Forsthof complex has also retained its original appearance and is a listed site. The Forsthof comprises a residential house, a stable, and a barn. The two examples differ in scale: the hall house focuses on a single building, while the Forsthof is a group of several buildings.

Schlossberg and Landscape

Schlossberg lies 1.5 km north of Finkenthal. The remains of a motte-and-bailey castle are located there and are regarded as evidence of early knightly landholding in Finkenthal. Unlike the chapel and farm complexes, it is not a surviving building but the castle ruins that recall this past. Nearby, deciduous forests invite visitors to go walking. In spring, they are especially notable for their lush carpets of corydalis and anemones. If you choose to travel for the blossoms, spring is the fitting season.

The “Dammer Postmoor” nature reserve covers about 235 hectares in the municipality in question, including areas in the cadastral districts of Schlutow and Fürstenhof. It preserves a secluded, richly varied forest-and-moorland complex as a representative section of a near-natural ground-moraine landscape. Forest and moorland together define this protected landscape.

Visitor Information

Federal Highway 110 passes Finkenthal halfway between Gnoien and Dargun. The “Steak & Fish” restaurant is located beyond the forestry office in the municipality of Finkenthal. Check whether it is currently open before visiting.

The Wider Destination of Rostock

The wider destination of Rostock offers another perspective for planning a trip. The historic Molli narrow-gauge railway runs between Kühlungsborn and Bad Doberan and is the oldest narrow-gauge railway on the Baltic coast. Güstrow is home to Mecklenburg’s oldest surviving civic theater. The Rostock region also includes 62 kilometers of Baltic coastline with a number of seaside resorts. Sternberger Seenland Nature Park is part of this wider regional setting, too. Its deeply incised breakthrough valleys along the Warnow, numerous lakes, picturesque hills, and extensive forests are especially inviting for hiking and cycling. This offers a difference in scale when choosing a travel area: Finkenthal brings together village history and nearby nature, while Rostock encompasses additional regional cultural, railway, and coastal attractions.

Discover more destinations: Boddin, Behren-Lübchin, Walkendorf, Lühburg, Altkalen

Go to the wider travel overview: Amt Gnoien.