Peenehagen: Village Churches, Park and Nature

Church and village history in Lansen

The core of Lansen Village Church dates back to around 1400. Its furnishings include an 18th-century baptismal angel. There is also a freestanding bell tower in the churchyard. The bell was donated in 1865 by the patron at the time, C. G. (Kuno) von Hahn, and cast in Waren by Johann Carl Ludwig Illies. The church’s history and furnishings thus reflect different historical periods.

Lansen’s houses also tell the story of local history: almost all of them have wooden signs bearing farm names. These signs date back to the division of estates into smallholdings in Mecklenburg in the 1930s. Together with the church, they offer a glimpse of architectural and village history that extends beyond a single historic building.

Architecture and events in Groß Gievitz

Groß Gievitz Village Church dates back to the German settlement of the Schloen estate in the 13th century. From 1964 onward, its wall paintings were uncovered again. The original Baroque painting on the furnishings and the original imagery on the altar were also restored. The cemetery chapel was built in 1827–31 as a Neo-Gothic burial chapel for the Counts of Voß, based on a drawing by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. It has been owned by the parish since 1951 and serves as a cemetery chapel.

Sights in Groß Gievitz also include the restored fire station with its barrel-vaulted roof and other listed buildings. The restored park, with its old and rare trees, is a pleasant place to stroll; check its condition and access locally. Groß Gievitz thus brings historic buildings and a park together as distinct points of interest.

The traditional park festival and the annual equestrian games are two separate events. The park stage hosted numerous events over several years. If you would like to include an event in your trip, check the dates in advance.

Fieldstone church in Alt Schönau

Alt Schönau Fieldstone Church dates from the 14th century. The rectangular fieldstone building has brick gables articulated with blind arches, making it easy to distinguish the materials and façade design. Its furnishings include a pulpit dating from around 1700. The church treasury also holds liturgical pewter objects from the 18th and 19th centuries. The architecture, pulpit and church treasury each offer a distinct historical focus.

Nature between park and protected area

The Barschmoor nature reserve lies near Levenstorf. It has open stretches of water and adjoining wetlands to the east, with sphagnum moss, reed canary grass and sedge marshes. Ospreys use the area to forage. Breeding birds include various duck species, cranes, green sandpipers, wood sandpipers, woodcocks, snipes and little grebes; otters are also found there. There are no public paths in the reserve. Take this access restriction into account when planning and check local conditions before your visit.

The rolling countryside, forests and meadows around Peenehagen are ideal for hiking and cycling. These activities in the surrounding area are distinct from the Barschmoor, which has no public paths. The park in Groß Gievitz, meanwhile, is a pleasant place to stroll; check its condition and access locally before visiting.

The Mecklenburg Lake District as a wider travel destination

The Mecklenburg Lake District offers a distinct, broader natural setting. The Müritz National Park is characterized by forests, wetlands, lakes and expansive meadows. Its hiking trail covers the park’s landscape types and highlights over nine stages: it runs along lakes, through ancient forests, past inland dunes and to the source of the Havel. This adds a distinct regional nature theme to exploring the specific districts of Peenehagen.

Discover more destinations: Torgelow Am See, Groß Plasten, Moltzow, Jabel, Dratow-Schloen, Klink, Varchentin, Kargow

See the overview of the wider region: Amt Seenlandschaft Waren.