Kittendorf between Mecklenburg Switzerland and the Mecklenburg Lake District

Kittendorf Castle and its historic outbuildings

Kittendorf Castle was built between 1848 and 1853 to plans by Berlin architect Friedrich Hitzig. Hitzig was a pupil of Schinkel; the building follows the English Tudor Gothic style. Its construction period and style offer a concrete way to explore 19th-century castle architecture, especially for travelers interested in historic buildings.

The grounds of Kittendorf Castle also include a historic former watermill dating from around 1750 and a historic ice cellar. The site’s historical character thus encompasses two other types of building as well as the castle itself. Kittendorf’s cultural heritage can therefore be understood not only through the castle’s architecture but also through its outbuildings.

Nature around Kittendorf

Nearby is the 53.00-hectare “Tree Rows and Forest near Kittendorf” FFH area. It comprises a small remnant of deciduous woodland and two rows of trees near the village, along the valley edge of the Kittendorfer Peene. These features provide habitats for the hermit beetle (Osmoderma eremita). The local nature experience is shaped by specific woody structures and a named habitat—a different perspective from the vast landscapes of the wider Mecklenburg Lake District destination.

Mecklenburg Lake District: nature experiences in many forms

Across the wider Mecklenburg Lake District destination, forests, marshes, lakes and expansive meadows characterize Müritz National Park. The Müritz National Park Hiking Trail explores the park’s landscape types and distinctive features over nine stages. It runs along lakes, through primeval forests, past inland dunes and to the source of the Havel. The stages offer a structured way to experience different types of landscape; by contrast, the local nature experience near Kittendorf focuses on the FFH area and its habitats.

Certified nature and landscape guides offer informative tours through Müritz National Park. These include guided visits to the UNESCO World Heritage beech forest at Serrahn and tours from the water. This wider natural area thus offers both guided insights into the beech forest and tours from a water-based perspective.

The Damerower Werder bison reserve offers another highlight. It is located on a peninsula in Lake Kölpin, in the Mecklenburg Lake District and the Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide Nature Park. Visitors can observe the animals there. The reserve also features a forest adventure trail with climbing opportunities, an anthill display, an exhibition with tactile and visual panels, and a dendrophone. Wildlife watching and a range of nature-experience activities each have their own focus here.

Waterways and culture across the region

For paddlers and other waterway travelers, Neustrelitz town harbor offers another perspective on the Mecklenburg Lake District: via the Upper Havel Waterway, they can explore Müritz National Park and the Strelitz Small Lakes region. The specific starting point at the harbor and the named destinations make this a distinct option alongside the hiking trails and guided tours.

The Rechlin Aviation Technology Museum in Rechlin Nord offers a different cultural theme. Its focus differs from the Tudor Gothic architecture in Kittendorf: here, the subject is aviation technology; there, it is castle architecture.

Discover more destinations: Zettemin, Bredenfelde, Knorrendorf, Mölln, Grammentin, Gülzow, Ivenack, Briggow

See the overview of the wider destination: Amt Stavenhagen.