Wonderful lake promenade in Krakow am See

Sunday, 29 September 2024 12:10
Written by Portal Editor

As part of our exploration of the Mecklenburg Lake District, we also came to the small town of Krakow am See, where we spontaneously decided to have a short stopover.

We quickly found a parking space and so we walked through the small old town with its synagogue, the town hall with market square and the town church to the lake shore.

Overview about most interesting places to see:

1. Krakower See (Lake Krakow)
The centerpiece of the town, this large lake is perfect for swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking. The lakeside is popular with visitors who enjoy water sports and nature walks.

2. Observation Tower on Jörnberg
This tower offers stunning panoramic views of the lake and surrounding landscapes. It’s a great spot for photography and enjoying the natural beauty of the area.

3. Krakow am See Church (St. Mary’s Church)
A beautiful, historic church with a Gothic-style architecture. It’s one of the town’s key landmarks, dating back to the 13th century.

4. Old Town Center
The town's center is filled with charming streets, historic buildings, and quaint cafés. Walking around here offers a glimpse into the town’s history and culture.

5. Burgwall Insel (Castle Wall Island)
An archaeological site located on an island in Lake Krakow, it contains the remnants of an ancient Slavic settlement. Visitors can explore the island and learn about the region’s history.

6. Mühlenmuseum Kuchelmiß (Mill Museum)
Located nearby, this museum showcases the history of milling and agriculture in the region. The beautifully preserved old mill is surrounded by scenic landscapes.

7. Nature Park Nossentiner-Schwinzer Heide
A large nature reserve offering hiking and cycling trails through diverse landscapes, including forests, meadows, and wetlands. It’s a great place for nature lovers and birdwatchers.

8. Castle Krakow am See
A historic building now housing an art gallery and cultural exhibitions. It’s worth a visit to explore local art and history.

9. Fishing and Boating
The calm waters of the lake make it ideal for boating and fishing. You can rent a boat or join a local fishing tour.

10. Wellness and Spa Centers
Krakow am See is known for its relaxing environment, and there are several wellness and spa centers where visitors can unwind with massages and treatments.

Hiking tours in Krakow am See

Route description Reuters Paradise Garden Trail: This well-developed route is named after the Low German writer Fritz Reuter, who described the area around Krakow am See as a paradise. The route offers various vantage points from which you can enjoy an impressive view of the Krakow lake landscape. These include, for example, the "Paradise Garden View" and "Reuters Lake View".
The tour begins at the market bakery on the market and leads to the Fritz Reuter memorial stone on the Lehmwerder peninsula. There are several rest areas and bathing areas for relaxation and refreshment along the route.
Route description Krakow Manor House Circular Trail The route around Lake Krakow is the 4th stage of the Mecklenburg Manor House Circular Trail of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Tourism Association. The individual manor houses are unique in their appearance. The stylish ambience offers the ideal setting for a dream vacation. Our part of the manor house circular trail connects to the manor house circular trail of the tourism association at Hoppenrade, which leads via Güstrow northwest towards Schwaan and northeast towards Laage.

Old Synagogue in Krakow am See

On the way to the lake shore, we came across one of the few synagogues still preserved in its original form and a Jewish cemetery. On December 12, 1866, the synagogue was ceremoniously inaugurated by 110 community members. In 1920, the synagogue was sold to the city because the community had greatly reduced in size. Since then, it has been used as a gymnasium for many decades.

After extensive renovation work, the Old Synagogue was reopened to the public in 1995. Today it is the headquarters of the Culture Department, the city of Krakow am See and the "Old Synagogue" cultural association. Exhibitions, concerts and readings are held at regular intervals in the former prayer room (accessible without barriers).

Opening times:

May - September Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
October - April Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Old Synagogue, Schulplatz 1, 18292 Krakow am See, 038457 23647, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Krakow am See town hall with market square and town church

The town hall was built in 1875 in the neo-Gothic style. The old town hall with district court that was previously on the same site and the neighbouring former school building burned down in 1872. In the attic there are 5 prison cells that were in use until 1920 and now serve as an archive.

The market square has always been the centre of the city and was and is a place for many cultural events. The tradition continues today, for example with the city festival on the first weekend in June.

The most important architectural monument in the city of Krakow am See is the Protestant church. The brick building from the 13th century is the oldest building in the city and was repeatedly remodelled after many city fires in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today the church is classified as a transitional building from the Romanesque (round arch) to the Gothic (pointed arch) architectural style.

The current bell tower on the west side of the building dates from 1762. It contains three bells of different sizes. They were cast in 1719, 1755 and 1871. In 1972 the tower was covered with copper plates and the spire was given a cross that can be seen from afar.

When you enter the interior, you can see a beautiful altar structure with a carved relief. On the north wall towards the altar there are coats of arms of various noble families from the 18th and 19th centuries. The church treasure includes silver-plated and gold-plated chalices with engravings of their donors. The organ from 1893 was moved to storage 100 years after it was installed. Organ specialists restored the organ and only accepted a thank you for their work. In 1994 all restoration work was completed (barrier-free access and induction loop for hearing aids).

Opening times for church services every Sunday 10.30 a.m., rectory 03457 - 22754

But now to the lakeshore of Krakow am See

From the market square it is only a few steps to the lakeshore and the field of view expands, ultimately to the opposite bank.

The idea of going all the way around the lake quickly arose, which is not possible, as we would learn a little later.

Numerous, mostly whitewashed benches along the promenade invite you to linger, so we came across the first restaurant where we could get an ice cream to go for the rest of the way.

Here you will also find the pier for the passenger ship and a rental station for rowing boats, motor boats and pedal boats.

The many thatched boathouses and huts of the local fishermen are more than worth mentioning.

These little houses, which are now often used as weekend stays, are lined up almost all around the lake.

They are also brightly coloured and we were always surprised by the variety.

A little later we reached the bathing establishment, which was built in 1938 and is a listed building, but which was unfortunately already closed at the end of the season.

Observation tower on the Jörnberg

No matter which direction you come to Krakow am See from, the observation tower on the Jörnberg can be seen from almost everywhere.

The observation platform of the tower, which is now 28 m high, can be reached via 126 steps and...

Of course we counted them.

As a visitor, once you reach the platform above the treetops, you have a wonderful panoramic view of the city lake of Krakow and (lo and behold) also of the 16 km² Krakow Lake labyrinth as a whole.

And so it immediately became clear that it was impossible to go around the city lake, because there is a narrow section (without a bridge) that leads straight to the next lake.

The observation tower on the Jörnberg is the most famous landmark of the climatic health resort and, in a prominent location on the Jörnberg peninsula, looks back on over 100 years of historical development. First built in 1897 as a wooden observation tower, the foundation stone for a 16.25 m high Bismarck tower with a flagpole was laid at the beginning of July 1907 as part of the Bismarck veneration. Lolat reinforced concrete was used as the building material. Visitors could enjoy the view from a height of ten meters. The inscription "Bismarck Tower / 1907" could be read above the arched entrance door. The tower was demolished in 1945 because "there was a field telephone there during the war." The tower guard is happy to see every visitor. Opening times:

April – May and September – October 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. – June – August 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

The current Jörnberg observation tower

In June 1995, a new, 27.70 m high observation tower was completed at the former site of the Bismarck Tower, which was opened to visitors for the first time on July 1, 1995.
Height of observation platform: 24.13 m
Ground floor diameter: 7.20 m
Width of platform: 6.30 m
Number of steps: 126

The current observation platform of the tower is more than 100 m above sea level. Distances for the North and South Pole and for various cities and countries are engraved in metal on the parapet, but the information is absolutely trustworthy (example: Athens – distance does not match).

After these surprising findings, we returned to the vehicle and thus to the Garder See campsite. In any case, a stop in Krakow am See is worthwhile, and the tour on foot from the campsite is also recommended.

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