Ankershagen: Schliemann’s Footsteps and Nature in the Surroundings

Schliemann Museum and Hiking Trail

A Trojan horse stands in the forecourt of the Schliemann Museum in Ankershagen. It is 6 meters high, 10 meters long, and fitted with a slide. This striking figure evokes a theme also reflected in the name of the hiking trail, “In Schliemann’s Footsteps.” The Schliemann Museum is the starting point for this trail, which leads to the nearby Havel Spring.

The trail thus connects two different points of interest: its starting point at the museum and its natural destination at the spring. If you want to explore Ankershagen through Schliemann, you will find not only the museum but also a named hiking trail that links the theme with the surrounding area. Its route is clear: it starts at the museum and leads to the Havel Spring.

Village Church, Frescoes, and Cycling Route

The village church in Ankershagen contains frescoes, including a depiction of Saint George fighting a dragon. The grave of Sophie Schliemann, Heinrich Schliemann’s mother, is in the churchyard. She was buried there in 1831. The fresco and the grave give visitors to Ankershagen further specific historical and cultural points of interest beyond the museum.

The village church is a certified cycling church and lies directly on the Berlin–Copenhagen long-distance cycle route. Cycling is therefore a distinct reason to visit the town: you can take the route’s location into account when choosing your itinerary and also appreciate the church as a historic site. The cycling connection and the cultural themes stand side by side, without suggesting any particular tour.

Havel Spring and Nature Nearby

The Havel Spring is close to Ankershagen and a few meters from the entrance to Müritz National Park. You can explore the countryside around the spring and the spring-fed lakes on foot or by bicycle. At the Havel Spring, information stones and display boards provide details about the course of the river and other points of interest. Outdoor activities and information about the spring area complement the cultural highlights in the town.

When planning your activities, you can distinguish excursions around the Havel Spring from Ankershagen’s cultural sites: the museum and village church relate to history, while the spring and spring-fed lakes offer nature experiences nearby. Whether you prefer cycling or walking is up to you; both options are described for this natural area.

Mecklenburg Lake District: The Regional Setting

Beyond Ankershagen, Müritz National Park lies within the Mecklenburg Lake District. Forests, bogs, lakes, and wide meadows characterize the national park. The Müritz National Park Hiking Trail runs for nine stages through the park’s varied landscape types and natural features: along lakeshores, through ancient forests, past inland dunes, and to the Havel Spring. Unlike the “In Schliemann’s Footsteps” trail, which starts at the museum and leads to the Havel Spring, this national park hiking trail is divided into nine stages.

Certified nature and landscape guides offer educational tours through Müritz National Park. These include guided walks in the Serrahn UNESCO World Heritage beech forest and tours from the water. These activities form part of the wider Mecklenburg Lake District region and should not be confused with Ankershagen’s local sights. This gives you a clear distinction when planning your trip: Ankershagen combines connections to Schliemann and the village church with nearby nature destinations, while the national park offers additional landscapes and tour options in the Mecklenburg Lake District.

When looking for a hotel, you can first decide which focus you want your trip to have: Ankershagen’s cultural sites, cycling on the long-distance route, or nature experiences around the Havel Spring and the national park. This keeps your choice of destination focused on the genuinely different themes, rather than attributing every activity to a single place.

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Back to the parent travel overview: Amt Penzliner Land.