Discover Garz/Rügen: History and Landscape

St. Petri Church gives Garz/Rügen a tangible connection to the town’s history. Other topics also come into play when planning a trip: historic townscapes, the early history of Rügen and the landscape character of southern Rügen. These perspectives range from the building in Garz to regional landscape and history topics, helping you decide what to focus on during your trip.

St. Petri and the history of Garz

The Gothic brick St. Petri Church in Garz/Rügen dates from around the middle of the 14th century. It is regarded locally as the oldest surviving architectural testament to the town’s history. Its baptismal font also has its own historical significance: it is considered to be more than 700 years old.

The age references relate to two different things: the church is a building from the 14th century, while the baptismal font is considered to be more than 700 years old in its own right. For those interested in historic architecture, the Gothic brick construction is a clear starting point, while the church’s local designation as the oldest surviving architectural testament describes its importance to the history of Garz.

Historic townscapes and landscape in southern Rügen

Garz and Putbus are noted for their historic townscapes. The Slavic rampart offers a glimpse into the early history of Rügen. The townscapes draw attention to historic urban form, while the rampart points to Rügen’s earlier history. This brings two distinct historical perspectives together: the townscapes of Garz and Putbus, and an early trace of the island’s history.

Southern Rügen is predominantly agricultural in character; its landscape includes small villages, fields, forests and lakes. More than 300 kilometres of cycle paths have been developed and signposted, and the terrain is generally moderately hilly. These are different points of reference for planning a trip: those interested in historic townscapes can consider Garz and Putbus as points of reference, while southern Rügen offers information on network length and terrain for planning a cycling trip. Check the current route if you are planning a specific bike tour, as the cycle network may change in size.

Poseritz: Church architecture, routes and local offerings

The broader destination of Poseritz has its own historical focus: construction of St. Mary’s Church began after 1300; the choir and tower were added around 1450. The wooden altarpiece dates from 1703. This sequence spans the start of construction, later additions and a furnishing from the early 18th century.

The Birgitta Pilgrimage Route in Western Pomerania includes a five-kilometre detour to Poseritz Church. If you are planning this detour, it is worth checking the current route, as trail conditions can change.

Poseritz is surrounded by mixed forests that offer good hiking opportunities. The Poseritz Riding and Driving Club (Reit- und Fahrverein Poseritz e.V.) also gives holidaymakers the opportunity to explore the landscape on horseback. Hiking and horseback riding are thus presented as different ways to experience the Poseritz landscape.

Rügener Inselfrische dairy is also located in Poseritz: at its production site, it traditionally processes milk from the neighbouring farmer. You can sample and buy the dairy’s products at the farm shop and café there. The church and landscape topics in Poseritz are thus complemented by a tangible insight into local milk processing.

Discover more destinations: Lietzow, Gustow, Rappin on Rügen, Buschvitz, Poseritz, Ralswiek, Patzig, Sehlen

For the broader travel overview: Amt Bergen auf Rügen.