Neubrandenburg

777 years of history and modernity combined – Welcome to the City of Four Gates Neubrandenburg

The city of Neubrandenburg is heading towards a special anniversary: In 2025, the City of Four Gates will be celebrating its 777th anniversary! A journey through history, culture and the unique traditions of this vibrant city awaits visitors and residents alike.

Neubrandenburg, the third largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is picturesquely situated on the banks of Lake Tollensesee and is the economic and cultural heart of the Mecklenburg Lake District region. With its well-preserved historic town centre and one of the most impressive medieval fortifications in northern Germany, the town exudes an unmistakable charm. Particularly striking are the four Brick Gothic town gates, a landmark that creates a link between past and present.
Within the historic fortifications, Neubrandenburg offers a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. The magnificent St. Mary’s Church is an architectural jewel of Brick Gothic architecture and today houses a modern concert hall. History comes alive here: The unmistakable atmosphere of Brick Gothic architecture meets musical experiences that are unique in this form.

Experience the fascination of the European Route of Brick Gothic at first hand in a city that is proud of its history and at the same time looks to the future. Welcome to Neubrandenburg, the City of Four Gates – discover the best of 777 years of history!

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Franciscan monastery, Neubrandenburg

Immediately following the founding of the town in 1248, the Franciscan Order settled in Neubrandenburg. The monastery church of St. John’s and the east wing are the oldest parts of the Franciscan monastery and were built in 1260. Around the beginning of the 15th century, the margravial court to the north was integrated in an extension. Today the monastery is home to the Regional Museum, which you can also explore digitally. Discover its permanent exhibition here.

Stargarder Straße 2, 17033 Neubrandenburg

Franciscan monastery, Neubrandenburg

Neues Tor, Neubrandenburg

The medieval fortifications have been almost entirely preserved and completely enclose the old town. A double rampart is also still in place. The four city gates (Friedländer Tor, Stargarder Tor, Treptower Tor and Neues Tor) were designed as double gate complexes, protecting the city with front and main gates.

4.Ringstraße 429, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Deutschland

Neues Tor, Neubrandenburg

Friedland Gate, Neubrandenburg

The Friedland Gate at the north-east of the medieval fortifications is the oldest of Neubrandenburg’s four city gates and also the best preserved in terms of its complexity. The northern and eastern section of the fortifications towards Pomerania and Rügen was most susceptible to danger, so the fortification of Neubrandenburg commenced from here. Construction of the gate started around the year 1300. The structure of this gate illustrates perfectly the design of such medieval gateway systems. The layout of the Friedland Gate consists of a main gate on the town side and a front gate on the outer side. Both are connected by walls, forming the enclosed space of the Zwinger for attacking possible intruders. In front of the gate, there is a later addition to protect the gate against large-calibre firearms, the Zingel. This strong semi-circular structure was in turn connected to the front gate by walls, forming a further Zwinger. The double gate system of a main gate, a front gate plus the Zingel and the respective connecting walls gave the Friedland Gate an overall length of 88 metres. The architecture of the Friedland Gate reveals several construction phases. The three-storey main or inner gate has a square […]

Friedländer Tor 1, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Deutschland

Friedland Gate, Neubrandenburg

Stargarder Tor, Neubrandenburg

The medieval fortifications have been almost entirely preserved and completely enclose the old town. A double rampart is also still in place. The four city gates (Friedländer Tor, Stargarder Tor, Treptower Tor and Neues Tor) were designed as double gate complexes, protecting the city with front and main gates.

Stargarder Tor 2, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Deutschland

Stargarder Tor, Neubrandenburg

Treptower Tor, Neubrandenburg

The medieval fortifications have been almost entirely preserved and completely enclose the old town. A double rampart is also still in place. The four city gates (Friedländer Tor, Stargarder Tor, Treptower Tor and Neues Tor) were designed as double gate complexes, protecting the city with front and main gates.

Treptower Str. 39, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Deutschland

Treptower Tor, Neubrandenburg

St. Mary’s Church, Neubrandenburg

St. Mary’s Church (“Marienkirche”), consecrated in 1298, is one of the most important works of North German Brick Gothic. The church was severely devastated during the Second World War. A modern reconstruction with excellent acoustics now makes it one of the Germany’s most formidable concert halls. Whether philharmonic concert, opera, musical or ballet – all genres come into their own thanks to the special sound of the building. Since July 2017, a new organ with 2,852 pipes has contributed significantly to the concert programme. The church tower has a permanent exhibition on “Paths to Brick Gothic” (“Wege zur Backsteingotik”), showcasing Neubrandenburg’s religious and secular architecture.

An der Marienkirche 1, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Deutschland

St. Mary’s Church, Neubrandenburg

Wiekhäuser, Neubrandenburg

Ursprünglich waren 57 Wiekhäuser in Abständen von jeweils rund dreißig Metern in die Stadtmauer eingefügt. Diese Häuser waren in 3 bis 4 Meter breiten Vorsprüngen, sogenannten Wieken, eingelassen. Sie dienten einst als Verteidigungspositionen, denn in Neubrandenburg gab es keinen Wehrgang. Die Bauten waren rechteckige, manchmal auch halbrunde Türme, die nach außen vor die Mauer vorspringen. Zur Stadtseite waren die Wieken geöffnet. Zum ersten Geschoss führte eine massive Treppe. Die anderen Etagen waren über Leitern zu erreichen. Einige hatten ein Dach oder waren mit Spitzbögen überwölbt, bei anderen war die oberste Plattform offen und mit Zinnen zum Schutz der Verteidiger bestückt. Die unteren Geschosse waren mit Schießscharten versehen, die ermöglichten, das Feld vor der Mauer, aber auch seitlich den Mauerfuß zu bestreichen. Anhand der Art der Schießscharten lassen sich verschiedene Typen von Wiekhäusern unterscheiden. Die frühen Bauten hatten relativ breite Scharten, was der Nutzung von Armbrüsten geschuldet war. Der spätere Typ weist schmalere Öffnungen auf, durch die mit den im ausgehenden Mittelalter aufkommenden Feuerwaffen geschossen werden konnte. Im nördlichen Abschnitt der Stadtmauer, das heißt in der 1. Ringstraße nordwestlich des Friedländer Tores, sind zwei Wiekhäuser zu sehen, die originalgetreu als reine Wehrbauten rekonstruiert worden sind. Zwei weitere Wiekhäuser wurden schon im […]

1.Ringstraße 8, 17033 Neubrandenburg, Deutschland

Wiekhäuser, Neubrandenburg