Rastow: Cycling Routes and Photography Technology

Cycling Tours Through Rastow

The 75-kilometre regional cycling route R 11 runs from Boizenburg via Hagenow and Rastow to Mirow. The 75 kilometres refer to the entire regional route, not to a stretch within Rastow alone. The places mentioned give you an idea of its course: Rastow is part of a route connecting Boizenburg and Hagenow with Mirow.

Another option is the 73-kilometre Tour 15, “Through the Kraaker Tannen to the Redefin State Stud.” It runs through the Kraaker Tannen and via Rastow; the Redefin State Stud is already named as a destination in the route title. The two routes differ in length by only two kilometres. Their described courses have different emphases: R 11 connects the places mentioned from Boizenburg to Mirow, while Tour 15 highlights the Kraaker Tannen. When choosing between them, the route’s course is therefore a more useful distinction than the small difference in total length.

Photography and Film Technology in Rastow

The DUNKELKAMMER RASTOW Technology Museum is located in the local community hall. It displays historic still and movie cameras, contact printing machines and laboratory equipment, slide and film projectors, as well as radios and televisions, tape recorders and record players. The collection thus ranges from cameras and laboratory equipment to projection and audio technology.

One special feature is the walk-in camera obscura: when there is enough sunlight, it projects moving, colourful images. This effect depends directly on the light conditions. The permanent “Photography Technology” exhibition is also a sight in Rastow; the Dunkelkammer e. V. association preserves and expands it. Rastow’s attractions therefore include both technical equipment and a permanent exhibition on photography technology.

Kraak and Fahrbinde in the Municipality of Rastow

Kraak and Fahrbinde are in the municipality, not in the town of Rastow itself. Kraak is home to St John’s Church, with a carved Marian altarpiece dating from around 1500. Kraak was the seat of a commander of the Order of St John from 1315. This year provides a specific historical reference point for the town. Kraak also has a motorway lake with swimming facilities and a wildlife enclosure.

The Kraaker Mühle mill and a fish ladder are located in the Kraaker Tannen. Fahrbinde offers a different historical attraction: its historic centre is considered a sight. The Stillfriedstube commemorates the Low German poet Felix Stillfried (1851–1910), who was known by the name Adolf Brandt. Together, these places show what else the municipality has to offer beyond Rastow’s cycling routes and photography technology, without attributing those attractions to the town centre.

Getting There and the Regional Context

Rastow station provides a connection to the Berlin–Schwerin rail service. If you are planning to travel by train, check the current timetable before setting off. The municipality’s transport links also include the L72, formerly designated the B106, as well as the A24/A14 motorway interchange right next door.

In the wider Ludwigslust-Parchim destination, Ludwigslust Palace is a distinct cultural and historical highlight. It was the former residence of the dukes of Mecklenburg and, together with its park and town, forms an ensemble known as the “Little Versailles of the North.” The palace is at the heart of an almost completely preserved late Baroque townscape, with a former court church and an English-style landscape park. Inside the palace, visitors can learn about art and courtly living in the 18th and early 19th centuries. This regional perspective complements Rastow’s own themes with residential history and courtly culture.

Discover more destinations: Lübesse, Uelitz, Leussow, Lüblow, Wöbbelin, Bresegard Bei Eldena, Göhlen, Alt Krenzlin.

Go to the wider travel overview: Amt Ludwigslust-Land.