Hohenzieritz: Castle History and the Queen Luise Memorial

Hohenzieritz brings together the history of Hohenzieritz Castle and the commemoration of Queen Luise. The castle houses the Queen Luise Memorial; the park, the round church and a designated pilgrimage route are other historical features of the town. If you are looking for a hotel in Hohenzieritz, you can plan your trip around these highlights: architectural and garden history, the memory of Luise or the pilgrimage route.

Castle, Park and Queen Luise Memorial

Hohenzieritz Castle was built between 1746 and 1751 as a single-storey Baroque building. The park was added later: it was laid out from 1771 at the behest of Duke Carl II and is one of the earliest English landscape parks on the European continent. This chronology highlights two distinct periods in the town’s history: first the Baroque castle, then the development of the park as an English landscape garden. The history of the building and the history of the gardens can thus be explored as separate, successive themes.

Located in the castle, the Queen Luise Memorial features an exhibition redesigned in June 2017 that explores the life and death of Queen Luise, her myth and the history of the memorial. A visit therefore covers both the Queen’s biography and the history of her commemoration at this site. Visitors may enter the front section of the Queen’s death chamber.

The memorial also offers an educational museum program for children. Visitors can also continue the historical tradition of autographs by signing a replica of the autograph panels and adding their own names. Alongside the exhibition about Luise, there is therefore a program for children and the opportunity to join the autograph tradition.

Round Church and Pilgrimage Route

The Hohenzieritz Castle ensemble includes a round church built in 1806. It stands at the start of the avenue leading to the castle. The designated pilgrimage route runs through the castle park, past the castle and continues beyond the round church to the village street. Its route thus connects several of Hohenzieritz’s historic sites and buildings. Check the current markers and access arrangements before setting out.

The cycling tour “In the Footsteps of Queen Luise of Prussia” also leads to Hohenzieritz. There, Hohenzieritz Castle houses the Queen Luise Memorial in the Queen’s death chamber. In addition to the pilgrimage route, this provides another designated way to explore the town and the commemoration of Luise.

More to Explore in the Mecklenburg Lake District

The wider travel destination of the Mecklenburg Lake District also offers other distinct nature experiences. The Müritz National Park is characterized by forests, bogs, lakes and wide meadows. Its hiking trail covers the park’s landscape types and special features in nine stages: it passes lakes, winds through ancient forests, goes by inland dunes and leads to the source of the Havel. Certified nature and landscape guides offer informative tours, including guided walks in the Serrahn UNESCO World Heritage beech forest and tours from the water.

Another regional attraction is the Damerower Werder bison reserve. It is located on a peninsula in Lake Kölpin and in the Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heath Nature Park; visitors can observe the animals there. The reserve also has a forest adventure trail with climbing opportunities, an ant house, an exhibition with tactile and visual panels, and a dendrophone. For paddlers, the Mecklenburg Lake District offers another perspective: from Neustrelitz town harbor, they can explore the Müritz National Park and the Strelitz Small Lakes region via the Upper Havel Waterway.

Discover more destinations: Blankensee, Userin, Grünow, Klein Vielen, Kratzeburg, Möllenbeck, Blumenholz, Godendorf.

View the wider travel overview: Amt Neustrelitz-Land.