Königsfeld: Bogs, Archaeological Monuments and Medieval Roads

Königsfeld stretches across hilly terrain between the river meadows of the Maurine to the west and the Radegast. When choosing your destination, you will find a combination of bogs, farmland and bodies of water, along with striking evidence of medieval and prehistoric history.

Landscape of Bogs, Forests, Farmland and Bodies of Water

The village of Woitendorf, located in the southwestern part of the municipality, is part of the Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve together with the Woitendorf Moor. The 42-hectare Demern Moor lies in the northeast of the Schaalsee UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These two landscape features complement the municipality’s hilly terrain with wet natural areas. Across the landscape, bogs, a wooded spring area, open farmland and Goldensee provide distinct natural features. The Woitendorfer Bach rises in Woitendorf Forest near Demern. It flows for approximately 5 km through the farmland and empties into Goldensee near Groß Thurow. For nature enthusiasts, the stream is therefore an attraction in its own right alongside the bogs. Its approximately 5 km refers to the length of the watercourse, not to a signposted hiking trail.

Village Church and Archaeological Monuments

The focal point of Demern Village Church is a Gothic carved altar dating from around 1400. The Early Gothic choir probably dates back to around 1267. The church thus combines an Early Gothic architectural element with Gothic furnishings from a later period. The archaeological monuments in the southern part of the municipality of Königsfeld include a 5,500-year-old megalithic tomb and a burial mound dating back approximately 4,000 years. The burial mound known as Königsgrab, designated as an archaeological monument and well known in the region, lies directly on the field identified by the name “Königsfeld.” The burial sites are located in the southern part of the municipality, while the village church is in Demern. In this way, the church building, sacred furnishings and prehistoric burial sites are each situated at specific locations within the municipality.

Historic Roads and Distinctive Local Connections

The Klosterdreieck route includes Demern as one of its villages. It follows the Nonnenweg, the Bischofsweg and medieval pilgrimage routes associated with Abbot Ernestus. The names of the roads preserve different historical connections within the route. Bülow is also linked to the history of Rehna’s convent: the village was the ancestral seat of the von Bülow family, which was among the monastery’s principal benefactors in the Middle Ages. Here, the connection to the convent is closely tied to an ancestral seat and a benefactor family. Kastanienhof adds a botanical element. It is a botanical show garden designed in the style of a traditional cottage garden. A free guided tour via the Guidemate app provides insights into the history of Kastanienhof, while the garden retains its traditional cottage-garden character. In the village of Groß Rünz, an annual wheelbarrow race takes place through the village pond. During the race, the village pond is also the competition venue.

Other places: Holdorf, Groß Molzahn, Vitense, Carlow, Thandorf, Dechow, Rieps and Utecht.

To the main travel overview: Amt Rehna.