general information about Greifswald

Greifswald is a hanseatic and university town in the northern part of Germany. You can find it on the Baltic Sea between the islands of Ruegen and Usedom. The ancient town was founded in 1250. Shortly afterwards, it became a member of the Hanseatic League. 200 years later Greifswald´s university was founded in 1456. In 1774 the famous painter Caspar David Friedrich first saw the light of day in Greifswald. Today there are 55000 residents and about 12000 students. That is it for the most important facts.

The three medieval brick gothic churches, St. Mary´s, St. Nicholas´ and St. James´, have been the main features of the townscape for hundreds of years. The tall tower of St. Nicholas´, which is decorated with a beautiful baroque spire, is the famous landmark of Greifswald.

The market place is considered to be one of the most beautiful market places in northern Germany. The ancient town hall, gothic residential store houses and other impressive buildings form an impressive architectural ensemble around that place. In the side streets you can find a lot of historical houses, too. Have a look at the big warehouses and the old gabled houses!

Greifswald almost entirely depends on its university: It is not only the intellectual centre of Western Pomerania, but also the most important economic factor of the town. The ancient university grounds between St. Nicholas´ and St. James´ and the university clinics in the northern part of the town centre are surely worth a visit for tourists and others being interested.

The Pomeranian State Museum is also located at Greifswald. In its Art Gallery you can find some paintings of Caspar David Friedrich, the most famous son of the town. Other exhibitions inform the visitor about the history and natural history of Pomerania.

The harbour on the river Ryck is rather a museum today. You can enjoy seeing some old ships there. At the mouth of the river Ryck, about 4 km from the harbour, there are two other places of interest: The small fishing village of Wieck offers you a view of some nice thatched houses and an old wooden bascule bridge. The village of Eldena invites you to have a look at the ruins of a former cistercian monastery. Not far from there, you can also find Greifswald´s own bathing beach.