Groß Kiesow: Church and Pilgrim Routes

St. Lawrence Church and its construction history

In the center of the village, a medieval cemetery gate leads into the cemetery surrounding St. Lawrence Church. The sequence of different construction phases can be read in the building: the chancel was built in the second half of the 13th century from hewn, layered fieldstones. The nave and east gable were added in brick in the 14th century. The different materials therefore belong to clearly identifiable parts of the church and make its construction history tangible.

St. Lawrence Church is regarded as a testament to the Middle Ages and is of great heritage conservation significance. Inside are wall paintings from the 17th century. The coats of arms, also dating from the 17th century, are considered popular sights in the Lutheran church. Visitors interested in historic churches and their furnishings will therefore find more than a single medieval building feature here: the construction history, paintings and coats of arms each offer a different point of interest.

Pilgrim routes around Groß Kiesow

Seven Lord’s Prayer stones guide pilgrims along a route around Groß Kiesow. The stones bear relief panels depicting the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. Another important landmark is the starting stone set up at St. Lawrence Church: it is also the destination of the pilgrimage circuit and is called the Stone of Stumbling. The church spire remains visible to hikers on the pilgrim route as a central landmark and point of orientation.

The 18-kilometre pilgrim route leads through fields, meadows and villages. You can take this distance into account when planning your own outing; the route connects a variety of landscapes and village areas. A pilgrim path with eight marked stations also begins next to the church. Each station is marked by a glacial erratic. For a trip focused on pilgrimage traditions, the seven Lord’s Prayer stones, the circuit and the station path offer several specific points of interest.

Cultural activities in the municipality

In the associated municipality, the Old Cultural Center in Dambeck hosts readings, music and concert evenings, lectures and travel talks. Workshops, creative networking events and cultural gatherings for all generations are also part of the program. This adds a broader cultural offering to the historic themes surrounding the church. If you are planning your stay around cultural interests, you can take these types of events into account when choosing places to visit.

Cycle route and practical information

A roughly 1,100-metre section of the cycle route along county road VG 13 runs from Klein Kiesow to the entrance to Groß Kiesow. This gives cyclists a specific connection leading right up to the village. A renovated section of the cycle route along VG 13 has a two-layer asphalt surface and is 2.50 metres wide.

On 5 May 2025, the renovated section was described as fully accessible and safe for everyday, recreational and school traffic. The date refers to that description of its usability at the time. Alongside the pilgrim routes, the cycle route offers another way to explore Groß Kiesow: when planning your trip, you can weigh whether the church and pilgrimage traditions or a bicycle tour should take priority.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Groß Kiesow, your planned focus can help guide your choice: the church architecture and pilgrim routes suit a culture- and walking-oriented trip, while the cycle route also caters to bicycle travel. Choose the village based on which of these interests you want to shape your trip, and factor the stated length of the pilgrim route into your plans.

Discover other places

For your further search, you can also consider Groß Polzin, Klein Bünzow, Karlsburg, Schmatzin, Wrangelsburg, Murchin, Ziethen and Lühmannsdorf.

For the broader travel overview: Amt Züssow.