Rankwitz: Harbor, Local History Museum and Hotels

Rankwitz Harbor: Moorings and Facilities

Rankwitz Harbor has 27 moorings: 15 in the harbor and 12 at the floating jetty. As a stopover for waterway travelers, it has sanitary facilities as well as electricity and water supplies. Boaters can use the harbor for a break or an overnight stay. The stopover also includes the “Zum Leuchtturm” tower sauna with a rooftop garden. For specific plans, it is worth checking the latest mooring information and operating details before your trip.

The harbor is also a destination for food. The menu at the “Zur Alten Fischräucherei” restaurant features regional or seasonal dishes, freshly caught fish, and homemade specialties from the traditional smokehouse. This adds a taste of regional food culture to the town’s maritime character.

Archaeology and Everyday Life at the Local History Museum

The Lieper Winkel local history museum displays finds from a Slavic settlement on the steep banks of the Peenestrom in Rankwitz. The settlement was excavated in 2014. The museum also focuses on traditional working and living conditions in Usedom’s Achterland region, particularly from the 18th century to around 1950. This period extends to the time before fishing boats, agricultural machinery, and workshops were motorized.

Guided tours are available during opening hours; groups can arrange tours outside these times by appointment. Check the latest opening hours before your visit. In the broader historical context, the Lieper Winkel was first mentioned in a document in 1187.

The Lieper Winkel: Routes and Shoreline Landscape

The municipality includes the Lieper Winkel, a peninsula of around 20 km² between the Peenestrom to the west and the Achterwasser to the north and east. Hiking and cycling routes connect the villages and circle the peninsula, often running right along the shore. On a cycling tour, you can plan breaks along reed-lined shores, at small harbors, and at bathing spots. Alongside the harbor, the surrounding area offers a landscape to explore across several villages in the municipality.

Near Rankwitz, Jungfernberg offers panoramic views over the Lieper Winkel, the Peenestrom, and the Achterwasser. It is the highest point in the Lieper Winkel. Another prominent landscape feature is in Quilitz: the steep banks along the Peene are a visitor attraction.

Church, Natural Monument, and Art in the Municipality

Not all the cultural attractions are in Rankwitz itself. Liepe Church in Liepe is considered the oldest church building on Usedom. Remains of late medieval wall paintings were uncovered in niches in the east wall. They depict the Crucifixion and Resurrection and were probably created when the church was built in the late 15th century.

In Suckow, the Suckow Oak stands on a prehistoric megalithic tomb. It is estimated to be around 700 to 1,000 years old and is one of the oldest natural monuments on the island of Usedom. In Reestow, Atelier Lieper Winkel has an exhibition space in a former stable; sculptures and other three-dimensional artworks are displayed in various spots outdoors. Together with the local history museum and the viewpoint at Jungfernberg, these sites offer a varied perspective on the history, art, and landscape of the municipality.

When choosing your base, it helps to keep the locations in mind: the harbor and local history museum are in Rankwitz, while several landscape and cultural attractions are in other villages in the municipality. This can help you decide whether to focus on the harbor and museum history or on routes and destinations across the wider Lieper Winkel.

Discover more destinations: Mellenthin, Pudagla, Dargen, Loddin, Usedom, Korswandt, Koserow, Kamminke.

For the broader travel overview: Amt Usedom-Süd.