Zarnewanz: Manor House History, Beet Railway and the Recknitz Valley

Visitors choosing Zarnewanz as a destination can get to know the place through its manor house history, the beet railway and the trails in the Recknitz Valley. These themes connect different historical periods with specific landscape features: the first documented mention dates back to the Middle Ages, while the hiking trail and former railway line draw attention to the surrounding area. When planning your trip, the main consideration is whether village history, historic transport routes or nature should shape your stay.

Manor Houses and Local History

Zarnewanz was first mentioned in a document in 1268. Zarnewanz Manor House was built around 1850; it is centrally located in the village beside an adjoining park and is privately owned. The house style known as the Winkelhof, developed in the late 1920s, also continues to have a significant influence on the village’s appearance. A historic manor house and a later-developed house style that still shapes the village today thus represent different historical periods.

Stormstorf is a district of Zarnewanz. Its manor house was built in 1871; it is privately owned and occupied. The manor estate in Stormstorf, with its manor house and park, is included on the district register of listed monuments. Another historic use concerns Zarnewanz Manor House: a chapel was established in the former dining hall and consecrated in 1931 by Heinrich Behm, the regional superintendent from Bad Doberan. The chapel was deconsecrated in 2022.

Beet Railway, Trails and Cycling History

The 65-kilometre beet railway was commissioned in 1895–1896, at the same time as the Tessin sugar factory was built. The Tessin Narrow Gauge Railway Company connected, among other places, Zarnewanz and Gnewitz. The railway is therefore a historic point of reference for both places. In the Zarnewanz hiking area, signposted trails follow an old beet railway line.

A hiking trail leads from Zarnewanz through Gnewitz and Stubbendorf to Ehmkendorf, crossing the Recknitz Valley. Its route names both the places along the way and the landscape it passes through. A cycle path was completed in June 2000 in the built-up area of Zarnewanz, running alongside the L 18. Hiking and cycling are therefore each linked to specific places and routes, but in different ways: the hiking trail passes through several named places, while the cycle path runs through the built-up area alongside the L 18.

Landscape and Protected Areas

Parts of the municipality of Zarnewanz are included in the Reppeliner Bachtal Nature Reserve. The 115-hectare Stormstorfer Bachtal Landscape Protection Area is bordered to the north by Stormstorf, a district of Zarnewanz. The two protected-area designations are defined differently: part of the municipality lies within one protected area, while Stormstorf marks the northern boundary of the other.

In the wider region, the entire Recknitz catchment area provides habitats for many rare and endangered animal and plant species. This broader natural setting is also presented in the visitor offering of the Zarnewanz hiking area. The protected areas and the Recknitz catchment therefore add a landscape perspective to the local history, extending beyond Zarnewanz itself.

Rostock as a Wider Travel Region

The wider destination of Rostock adds its own coastal setting. The Mecklenburg Baltic Coast is one of the core tourism regions in Rostock district. The Rostock Region is bordered by 62 kilometres of Baltic coastline with a number of seaside resorts; the region’s coastal hinterland also includes the river valleys of the Warnow and the Recknitz. These regional coastal and landscape features broaden the view of Zarnewanz, whose local themes are manor house history, the beet railway, hiking trails and protected areas.

Discover more destinations: Grammow, Thelkow, Stubbendorf, Nustrow, Gnewitz, Selpin, Cammin

Go to the overview of the wider travel region: Amt Tessin.