Discover Schönwalde am Bungsberg

Schönwalde am Bungsberg offers several ways to plan a stay: the history of its church and village, the Historischer Pfarrhof nature experience area, and Bungsberg with its viewpoints. The church and the settlement of Schönwalde were first mentioned in a document dating from 1240. For planning purposes, local attractions can be grouped into culture, nature and views.

Church and spiritual paths

Schönwalde Church was founded by Benedictine monks from Lübeck. It is one of the younger fieldstone churches built in Ostholstein at the end of the colonisation period. Its history therefore reaches back to the earliest documentary records of the village. The Schönwalde Way of the Cross is intended for pilgrims and individual visitors seeking a spiritual experience. Those interested in sacred architecture or spiritual paths will find a range of features relating to the church and the Way of the Cross.

Historischer Pfarrhof nature experience area

The Historischer Pfarrhof Schönwalde nature experience area covers approximately 4.5 hectares. The historic rectory complex includes the rectory, the parish hall and the parish barn. The grounds also feature a restored glacial depression, rest areas, a scout campsite with a fire pit, and redesigned orchards and rectory gardens. A butterfly garden with wildflowers and an information point for birdwatching by the wetland complement the nature experience area.

The nature experience area is open to the public and laid out as a circular walk with a spiritual Way of the Cross. Its gardens, wetland and historic farmstead make it a place where nature and church heritage come together. If you are planning a visit, check the local access information, as access conditions may change.

Bungsberg and its observation towers

Bungsberg is located near Schönwalde. At 168 metres, it is the highest point in Schleswig-Holstein. The visitor plateau has an observation tower and an information centre; it can be reached by a short hike or by car. The telecommunications tower is also open to visitors. From its viewing platform, you can see across the Holstein Switzerland towards the Baltic Sea. Before visiting, it is advisable to check the latest access information.

The listed Elisabethturm stands directly beside the telecommunications tower. Approximately 22 metres high, the tower is octagonal and was built in 1863 and 1864. Bungsberg thus combines viewpoints with a historic building whose design and construction dates are clearly documented. The observation towers and Elisabethturm offer different reasons to explore Bungsberg, without requiring a particular circular route.

Village museum and Viertenteilshufe

The village museum is housed in the former village school. It shows the everyday lives of farmers, craftspeople and housewives in the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum includes a historic classroom with slate boards and Mittelholmbänke—traditional school benches with a central runner. This offers a way to connect the portrayal of rural life with a close-up look at a former classroom.

The Viertenteilshufe route passes the fieldstone church, the village pond, the village and school museum, and the nature experience area. The route is listed digitally but is not marked on site. Follow the tour description and check the latest route information before setting off, as it may be revised.

Culture in the wider Ostholstein destination

The wider Ostholstein destination offers additional cultural attractions. Every summer, the Eutin Festival presents a range of open-air opera and operetta performances in Eutin. The Ostholstein Museum in Eutin hosts changing exhibitions and a permanent exhibition about Eutin during its heyday around 1800. Exhibitions also change at Cismar Monastery in the municipality of Grömitz; concerts are held there in the vaulted hall during the winter half of the year. These attractions complement the history of Schönwalde with other cultural themes from the wider region.

Discover more destinations: Mönchneversdorf, Grömitz, Göhl, Kellenhusen, Schashagen, Riepsdorf, Heringsdorf, Malente

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Ostholstein.