The town of Waren is located in the Federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northern Germany. This stunningly beautiful region, the Lake District, seems to be one of Germany’s best-kept secrets, even though the Alexandrian geographer Claudius Ptolemy mentioned Waren as early as 150 A.D. With a population of about 22,000, the town lies at the northern tip of Germany’s largest inland lake, the Mueritz. It also borders on several smaller lakes.
History of Waren
The town of Waren was founded in the middle of the 13th century. The Altstadt, (Old Town) formed around the church of St. George and the Alter Markt (Old Market) close to the edge of the lake. Later, the Neustadt (New Town) developed around St. Mary’s Church and the Neuer Markt (New Market). Altstadt and Neustadt merged in 1325. During the 16th and 17th centuries, major fires and the Thirty Years’ War repeatedly devastated Waren, and most of the town had to be rebuilt time and again. Only the two churches and a few of the buildings surrounding the Alter Market survived. In the 19th century Waren saw an important economic upswing. During this period, the town became the transportation hub for the area, connected to the telegraph network in 1856, opened the Wossidlo Gymnasium (High School) in 1869 and connected to the telephone network in 1899. http://www.waren.m-vp.de/geschichte-waren/
Richard-Wossidlo-Gymnasium in Waren, photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2016, www.walled-in-berlin.com
Waren today
Although large parts of Waren’s historic Old Town were demolished in the 1970s to allow for a new traffic system, much of the quaint Altstadt was reconstructed. Since German reunification, Waren has become a popular destination for boaters, anglers and spa enthusiasts. However, I believe Waren’s unbeatable charm lies in the unspoiled nature that surrounds it. On the 375 miles of hiking and biking trails that surround the town, visitors can truly let their souls take a vacation.
St. Mary’s Church (Marienkirche) in Waren, photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2016, www.walled-in-berlin.com
Mueritz-Nationalpark
Along with several other easily accessible nature parks in the area, the unmatched Mueritz-Nationalpark borders Waren to the east. There are no less than 130 lakes within the 125 square miles of park along with the headwaters of the Havel and Peene Rivers. Huge glaciers formed the landscape of the Mueritz-Nationalpark during the last Ice Age some 20,000 years ago. Its forests, lakes and wetlands provide homes and important breeding grounds for rare animals, such as tailed eagles, ospreys, black storks and cormorants. In 2011, the park became a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Waren seen from the Mueritz-Nationalpark, photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2016, www.walled-in-berlin.com
For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, “Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com
Tags: Claudius Ptolemy, Mecklenburg Lake District, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Mueritz, Mueritz-Nationalpark, Richard-Wossidlo-Gymnasium, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Waren
