Knorrendorf: Manor Houses, Village Churches and Archaeological Traces

Manor Houses in the Municipality

The architectural styles in the municipality’s other villages also tell of different periods. Kastorf Manor House was built in the early 18th century and acquired Neo-Gothic features in the mid-19th century. The listed building has been used as a residence since 1998. The listed estate complex also retains a granary, an inspector’s house, a coach house and gate pillars. The surviving buildings show that an estate complex included more than just the manor house.

Gädebehn Manor House took on its present form around 1850. Its hall was used for events. After German reunification, the Mende family opened the “Dorfkrug” pub there and set up several guest rooms; the business was later discontinued. This former use is part of the house’s history, not a current offering.

Another chapter in the history of manor houses is found in Kleeth. In 1999, the municipality of Kleeth planned to demolish the manor house there. A buyer rebuilt it and tried to preserve as much of the original fabric as possible. It is believed to have been built in a T-shape around 1860. In the mid-1950s, one half of the building was demolished and the other was altered. Its tentative dating and subsequent changes are both part of its architectural history.

Village Church and Memorial Sites

The village church in the village of Kastorf was built in 1788 as an elongated brick hall with a hipped gable roof. A roof tower with a pyramidal spire stands at the west end. A sundial is positioned above the side entrance; inside, the church has a solidly built pulpit altar. A stained-glass window on the north side depicts Saint George. It also serves as a war memorial to the First World War fallen from the municipality of Knorrendorf.

The archaeological traces offer a different perspective on the passage of time. Three Slavic fortifications lie close together on the northern shore of Lake Kastorf. They date from the 7th to the 12th century and form a group on the lakeshore—not three fortifications within the village of Knorrendorf. In Gädebehn, the rampart was originally an island fort in the silting area of Lake Gädebehn. Recovered pottery sherds date to the 11th–12th centuries; no visible earthworks remain. The rampart is also known locally as “Seewall” or “Werder.”

Hiking Trail and Other Nature Destinations

A hiking trail to Ivenack runs from Kastorf towards Wildberg. At a municipal meeting on February 25, 2025, it was described as badly damaged by vehicles. If you plan to use this trail, check its current condition in advance.

The Müritz National Park offers another perspective on the wider travel destination of the Mecklenburg Lake District, providing a natural contrast to the municipality’s architectural and settlement history. Forests, moors, lakes and wide meadows shape the national park. Its hiking trail explores the landscape in nine stages: it runs along lakes, through ancient forests, past inland dunes and to the source of the Havel. Certified nature and landscape guides offer informative tours there, including tours through the UNESCO World Heritage beech forest of Serrahn and trips from the water.

Another example from the Mecklenburg Lake District is the Damerower Werder bison reserve on a peninsula in Lake Kölpin. Visitors can observe the animals there. The reserve also has a forest adventure trail with climbing opportunities, an ant house, an exhibition with tactile and visual panels, and a dendrophone. The region’s nature attractions therefore offer a different focus from the manor houses, churches and archaeological remains in and around Knorrendorf.

Discover more destinations: Stavenhagen, Ivenack, Rosenow, Gülzow, Briggow, Ritzerow, Zettemin, Mölln.

For the main travel overview: Stavenhagen Municipality.