Kassow: Werle Castle and Tour 4
Accommodation in Kassow
History of Werle Castle
If you are considering Kassow as a destination for its history or for active days out, the former Werle Castle and Tour 4 offer two different points of interest. The castle was located near the Kassow district of Werle and close to the Warnow. It was built around the year 600 and served as the regional main castle of the princes of the Slavic Obotrite tribe. Its history thus reaches far back to a time before the later events of the Middle Ages.
In 1160, the Slavic prince Niklot died during the siege of Werle Castle by Henry the Lion and the Danish king Valdemar I. Since 1856, a memorial site near Werle on the east bank of the Warnow has commemorated this historic place. It includes a large erratic boulder bearing the inscription “Burg Werle”. For historical context, both the early medieval castle and the much later memorial are relevant.
Getting around on foot and by bike
There is a small sandy parking area shortly before the railway crossing in Werle, on the right-hand side, for those walking to the former castle. From there, you can walk to the castle. Just before the railway crossing near Kassow, a mostly easy-to-ride gravel path also leads to Werle Castle. These specific directions can help you include a visit to the former castle complex in your day’s plans, without mistaking it for a surviving castle structure.
A longer cycling tour also passes through Kassow: the approximately 23-kilometre Tour 4 starts in Schwaan and goes via Vorbeck, Kambs, Kassow, Neu Kassow and Werle, as well as Mistorf, Rukieten and Göldenitz, before returning to Schwaan. Kassow is therefore one stop on a route that starts and ends in Schwaan. If you choose Tour 4, you can use the places listed as the route order for planning your ride; the approximately 23-kilometre distance refers to the tour as a whole.
The Warnow, the canal and the launch point
Near Kassow, it is worth distinguishing the natural course of the Warnow from the canal at the crossing towards Kambs. The crossing goes over this canal, not the natural Warnow. It was built by Belgian prisoners of war between 1915 and 1917. This historical background gives the crossing its own connection to the region’s history and complements the much older story of Werle Castle.
There is a launch point for paddle boats on the left before the bridge near Kassow in the direction of Kambs. There is also a rest area in the countryside. This offers a different focus from exploring the castle or taking the cycling tour: the launch point is a specific landmark for paddle boats, while Tour 4 describes a longer route through several towns. Both add outdoor activities to Kassow’s historical points of interest.
Find other places at the same level in the hierarchy under Vorbeck, Wiendorf, Bröbberow, Rukieten and Benitz.
For the overview of the wider travel area: Amt Schwaan.
