Güstrow, formerly a ducal residence, takes its honorific name from expressionist sculptor Ernst Barlach. The town is famous for its magnificent buildings spanning six centuries, its artists and the largest collection of nativity scenes in Northern Germany. Güstrow Palace is particularly striking: one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Northern Europe, it dominates the town’s silhouette with its brick cathedral and parish church. Three museums keep the most extensive collection of works by Ernst Barlach. The game park and the Inselsee lake offer exciting outdoor experiences.
One of Güstrow’s most impressive buildings is its Renaissance palace. It contains one of the most important medieval collections in Northern Germany, the “Mittelaltersammlung Schloss Güstrow“ with works from the brick churches and monasteries of the region. The collection includes altars (such as the Neustadt altar), sculptures, church furniture, altar utensils and reliquaries and is notable for its individual works of art of outstanding art-historical significance as well as its regional coherence.
