Rostock is an old Hanseatic town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and about 800 years old.

Rostock is a university and port town with typical north German brick architecture in the historical centre.

City Hall © flickr/radzfoto

During the Middle Ages the town hall also was a merchant’s hall were traders would sell their goods. It has been the seat of the town council for almost 800 years and the baroque banqueting hall on the upper floor is also used for concerts.

St. Mary’s Church (Marienkirche) was built in the 13th century and is an imposing Gothic brick church. Inside there is an astronomical clock built by Hans Düringer in 1472.

St. Nicolas Church is the oldest church in Rostock and was built in the mid 13th century. It too is a Gothic brick church and was heavily destroyed during WW2. It was restored and is now used as an exhibition centre and concert hall. The acoustics are outstanding.

Rostock also is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. The University of Rostock was founded in 1419.

If you are interested in cultural history, you shouldn’t miss out the Cultural History Museum. Besides medieval arts and arts from the 16th to 19th century it also shows crafts from the Ahrenshoop and Schwaan artistic colonies.
In the nearby seaside resort of Warnemünde you can visit the Local History Museum which is located in an old fishermen’s cottage built in 1767.

Town Centre © flickr/az1172

Warnemünde welcomes visitors with a 100-metre wide sandy beach, a light house, old fishermen’s cottages and a fish market. You can enjoy a meal in one of the traditional fish restaurants before you visit the harbour with the fishing and sailing boats.

Visitors of Rostock who like to go walking or cycling can very well do so in the beautiful Rostock Heath. There you find a network of walking and cycling trails.

And if you want to see more of the region you should go on a trip to Bad Doberan and Heiligendamm. The Gothic minster certainly is worth a visit. From there you can go on a trip on the “Molli” narrow-gauge railway to Germany’s oldest seaside resort Heiligendamm founded in 1793. Heiligendamm is also known as “White Town by the Sea” due to the classicist white buildings lining the beach promenade.