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World Heritage in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The old towns of Stralsund and Wismar have made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Schwerin Residence Ensemble has also been a UNESCO World Heritage since July 2024. The ancient beech forests in the Jasmund National Park on the island of Rügen and in the Müritz National Park are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also has a rich repertoire of intangible cultural heritage.

The old town of Stralsund, with its impressive examples of the Brick Gothic architecture buildings of the Baroque period and has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002.
The old town of Wismar is also an outstanding example of the Brick Gothic architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage since 2002.
The Schwerin Residence ensemble has been a UNESCO World Heritage since July 2024.
The Jasmund National Park on the island of Rügen is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage.
The Serrahn beech forest in the Müritz National Park is also part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage.
The folk festival ist part of the intangible cultural heritage since 1853.
Barth Children's Festival: The Barth Children's Festival, first celebrated in 1828, is an intangible cultural heritage.
The doors from Fischland-Darß-Zingst: The colourful, artistically decorated traditional front doors from Fischland-Darß-Zingst are also part of the intangible cultural heritage
Zeesbote: The preservation and utilisation of the Zeesboote in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Bodden landscape and use of the boats are part of the intangible cultural heritage
Reetdach: The traditional craft of thatching is preserved in MV. The craft of thatching has been part of the intangible cultural heritage since 2014.
Tonnenabschlagen: The tradition of ton knock of i spart of the intangible cultural heritage.
Plattdeutsch: Professional and amateur theatres preserve the endangered Low German as a spoken language. The so-called ‘Low German’ is part of the intangible cultural heritage.
Köhlerei-Handwerk: The knowledge of the extinct charcoal-burning craft, part of the intangible cultural heritage, is preserved in the tar smouldering kiln in Wiethagen.
Serrahner Buchenwald

One city. One country. One honour: UNESCO World Heritage for the Schwerin Residence Ensemble.

In 2014, the German UNESCO Commission added the Schwerin Residence Ensemble to the German Tentative List - a list of suggestions for future nominations. Since then, experts, universities, sponsoring organisations and volunteers have been working on the application, which could finally be submitted in 2023.

The ensemble of residences includes Schwerin Castle on the castle island, the cathedral, the Schelfkirche as the princely burial place and more than 30 other buildings and gardens.

Schwerin Castle with city and lake landscape
Aerial view of Schwerin with cathedral and the Pfaffenteich
Former court theatre at the Old Garden
Throne room in Schwerin Castle

In addition to art historians, architects and UNESCO experts, the Schwerin World Heritage Association was particularly committed to the inclusion of the state capital as a World Heritage Site. The cultural monuments of the residential ensemble are presented individually on the association's website. The members also campaigned for support.

And it came. Many volunteers put a great deal of effort into preparing the nomination dossier and a management plan for the protection, maintenance and development of the World Heritage site. Be it through ideas, active involvement or financial resources. An invaluable help, without which the realisation would hardly have been possible.

The ‘UNESCO World Heritage Day’ on 4th June 2023 in Schwerin also contributed to public awareness. The event, which takes place on the first Sunday of every June, is organised by the German UNESCO Commission and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Germany association. Schwerin's associations also took part in this event even before it was recognised as a World Heritage Site. They gave an impressive tour of the nominated residence ensemble. ‘This day is a great opportunity to discover the World Heritage sites in Germany,’ explains Maria Böhmer, President of the German UNESCO Commission. ‘Our guests can experience what makes the World Heritage Site so special and how it helps us to learn from history for the future.’

The reward for the dedicated work followed in September 2023. After careful scrutiny and a visit from the UNESCO delegation, the residence ensemble made it onto the nomination list.

On 27th July 2024, the eagerly awaited decision was made at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting. With a great result for the state capital. The Residence ensemble won over the committee and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The news was met with great jubilation by those present at the public viewing event in the Demmler Hall of Schwerin Town Hall.