Hanshagen between the Watermill and the Erosion Valley
Accommodation in Hanshagen
Hanshagen can be explored through three distinct features: the village church, the watermill and the protected landscape feature known as Heithörn Erosion Valley. Together, they take you from brick architecture to the technology of a grain mill and a protected stretch along the Hanshagener Bach. This provides a practical guide when choosing a destination, with building history, milling technology and nature each offering a different focus. If you are looking for accommodation in Hanshagen, consider which of these topics interests you most.
A brick church with a distinctive design
Hanshagen village church is a two-bay brick hall church with buttresses. It probably dates from the early 15th century. “Two-bay” describes the division of the hall church into two bays; together with the brickwork and buttresses, this creates a clearly recognizable design. However, the date remains an estimate. Anyone interested in historic village churches or brick architecture will find a tangible point of interest in Hanshagen, without reducing the church to a single architectural detail.
Heithörn Erosion Valley: a protected stream corridor
Heithörn Erosion Valley is a protected landscape feature in Hanshagen covering around 9.2 hectares. It runs alongside the Hanshagener Bach from the southern part of the mill pond to the bridge in Hanshagen. Its area and course give the nature experience a clearly defined local scope: the focus is on a specific stretch of the stream, not on an undefined landscape backdrop. In this way, the erosion valley complements the church’s architectural history and the mill’s technical history with its own distinct connection to the landscape.
The watermill as a place to explore technology
Hanshagen Watermill was built as a grain mill in 1524. Its milling equipment, which has been almost entirely preserved, has been restored and is working again. Visitors can experience the mill as a functioning grain mill, from the mill pond to the grinding mechanism. A visit thus combines a connection to the pond with a close-up look at the milling technology. Visits with a video guide and personal guided tours are available; please check the arrangements before you arrive. Guests can dine at the “Zur Wassermühle” restaurant. Check opening hours before your visit.
Vorpommern-Greifswald in broader perspective
Beyond Hanshagen, the wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald offers further ways to explore nature, cycling and culture. The district’s three nature parks cover almost 40 percent of its area. The Baltic Sea Cycle Route, part of the EuroVelo EV10 route, passes through the district. The Stettiner Haff Circular Route and the North German Romanticism Route are also regional cycling routes for exploring Vorpommern-Greifswald. Surface conditions and signage may change along both routes. This regional cycling perspective complements the clearly defined local natural area of the erosion valley. The district’s cultural attractions are also tied to specific places. The Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald displays the Croy Tapestry of 1554, a unique cultural and historical artefact from the Reformation period. In Anklam, the Otto Lilienthal Museum is dedicated to aviation pioneer, mechanical engineer and humanist Otto Lilienthal, whose hometown it is. The regional perspective therefore extends from nature and cycling routes to cultural history and technology.
Discover more destinations: Brünzow, Wusterhusen, Rubenow, Kröslin, Katzow, Loissin, Kemnitz, Neu Boltenhagen.
View the broader travel overview: Amt Lubmin.
