The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Süderholz

The small town of Griebenow between Greifswald and Grimmen surprises with a castle, a pretty church and seems to be out of time.

Former castle chapel. Half-timbered church with 15 oak corner posts, built between 1648 and 1654

Manor house or castle, built 1702–1706. Currently 2020 renovation work

Great park at the castle Griebenow. Wonderful view towards Greifswald.

The fully preserved Baroque palace complex is considered an architectural masterpiece of high cultural and historical value, especially for our Swedish past. It is one of the most beautiful castles in Western Pomerania. Founded by the Cistercian monastery Eldena in 1219, the place Griebenow 1248 first documented as a Slavic village in connection with the confirmation of the extensive monastery property by the Pomeranian Duke Wartislaw III. mentioned. In the 14th century until the middle of the 17th century Griebenow becomes property of the knightly family of Rausche. The buildings from this period have not been preserved. With the occupation of Pomerania after the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1630 by the Swedish troops Griebenow was under Swedish rule until 1815. The achieved successes of Gerd Anton Keffenbrink as Oberfeldkämmerer (his ancestors had emigrated and come from Rheine / Westphalia) rewarded the Swedish Queen Christina with the noble title Rehnschiöld and the goods Griebenow, Kreutzmannshagen, Willershusen u.a as a fief. From then on, Gert Antoniison Rehnschiöld resided as chamber president (finance minister) of Western Pomerania and Mecklenburg, as well as a government councilor in Pomerania and curator of the Greifswald University. 1653/54 he had the unique castle chapel built as a 15eckigen central building, where he, as well as his closest relatives in the local family tomb 1658 found their final resting place. During an inventory of the Griebenower buildings the poor condition was determined. Thus Carl Gustav Rehnschiöld left as general, field marshal military adviser of the Schwedenkänigs Karl's of the XII. and Imperial Count acted to renew the inherited estate. The newly created pleasure garden with the essential Baroque parts, the Lindenallee as a trained main axis and the rectangular island in the castle pond, was first mentioned in 1706. 1707-1709, the ailing walls could be broken off and replaced by a representative palace, one of the largest not royal castles. Nicodemius Tessin d.J., one of the most famous architects of the Swedish Baroque, probably also worked in Griebenow. Today, the Griebenower castle is one of the most important architectural history of the Swedish time in northern Germany. With changes in the first half of the 19th century, the staircase, some rooms and the facade with ornamental elements of classicism were redesigned. From this time come the court of honor with its four-row chestnut alley, the farm building and the stables. The result of a renovation in 1910 was a redevelopment of the estate as the center of the estate, with the castle and the farm building were integrated into the park. Thus, the Gutsanlage could be used privately until 1935. After that the park started to grow wild and the property was used by the UNI Greifswald as a maternity ward and maternity home. Until 1958, a branch office of the University of Greifswald was set up for tuberculosis and epidemics in Griebenow. In 1958 the Grimmen district took over the facility and set up a district nursing home for elderly care and disabled children. The maintenance efforts left much to be desired and a reconstruction was planned in 1989 after the castle was cleared in 1988. This was no longer possible. It was not until 1992/93 that the district invested DM 1 million in the roof and window renovation. With pride one can say that with the establishment of the association "baroque castle to Griebenow e.V." on 1.5.2003, which also became owner of the lock, again life in the castle pulled. Since then, it has become a visitor magnet and cultural center in the region. The stylish preservation of the historical testimony of Swedish past is the highest concern of the association. Source: http://www.schloss-griebenow.de/historie/