Tom`s travels: Neustadt-Glewe & Grabow (13/04/2024)

On a quite warm mid-April weekend, I decided on a day trip northwest of Berlin to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. My first stop was the town of Neustadt-Glewe. Once there I got off the train and headed towards the old town, coming across its main monument, Burg Neustadt-Glewe. Considered one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the state, it was built in the middle of the 13th century and further refurbished during the 14th and 15th centuries. Located on a slight butte in the southern part of town it dominates the area and the nearby Elde river. Today it hosts a restaurant on one side and the city museum on the other. I entered the small courtyard by passing through the main and only gate, sided by the tall thick keep tower. Once inside I took a few pictures and then headed back out to explore the rest of town. Close by I reached the Marienkirche, the town's main church. Towerless and in a single-nave brick form this church was built in a Gothic style during the 14th century. After a fire in 1728 it was rebuilt and in fact, features a baroque interior. From the church, I then walked through the nice main square, where the town hall was located, and past the Neues Schloss built between the 17th and 18th centuries as the residence of the future Duke Christian Ludwig II and now turned into a hotel. Once I was done touring the town it was time to head out. I left Neustadt-Glewe behind, heading through some pine forests and past colorful yellow rapeseed fields. After more than a couple of hours' walk, I eventually reached the next town, Grabow. Also situated on the river Elde, it has a small old town with several timber-framed houses. I quickly reached the main square, with the nice 18th-century town hall and other houses, mostly in timber framing, and then tried to visit the main church, St Georg. Built in a gothic brick style it features a tall tower but unfortunately, it was closed so I couldn't visit the interior. Instead, I wandered around town, walking through nearly all the streets in order to admire the nice timber-framed buildings the oldest of which was from 1702. I then waited by the river on a bench enjoying the warm sun until the train came to take me back home to Berlin