Gützkow – Kosenow Lake and Historical Traces
Accommodation in Gützkow
Gützkow combines trips to the water with a history that comes to life at the church, castle chapel and castle rampart. Kosenow Lake is a popular destination for residents and visitors from Gützkow and the surrounding communities. If you enjoy spending time outdoors on holiday, you’ll find a walking trail around the lake; if you’re interested in historical sites, you can discover the architectural history of St. Nicolai Church and traces of the Slavic castle rampart. These different points of interest give you a good basis for deciding which experiences you’d like to shape your stay.
Around Kosenow Lake
A walking trail runs around Kosenow Lake, inviting you to take a stroll in every season. This means the lake is worth considering for more than just a summer’s day of swimming: a walk can also be a highlight of your time by the water. The bathing area is popular with people of all ages in summer. The walking trail and bathing area cater to different preferences—a walk on foot or time for swimming in the warmer months. This distinction is helpful for families planning their holiday together, without everyone having to choose the same activity. The lake is also a well-known destination for people from Gützkow and the surrounding communities.
Another way to enjoy the water is the Gützkow water-tourism rest area on the Swinow. Its facilities include comfortable sanitary facilities. If travelling by water is one of your interests, the rest area is a separate point of reference alongside the walks and bathing area at Kosenow Lake. Gützkow therefore offers different ways to enjoy the water: a lake with a walking trail and a summer bathing area, as well as a rest area on the Swinow.
Church, Castle Rampart and Castle Chapel
St. Nicolai parish church tells the story of several phases in the town’s history. The present-day building is closely linked to the founding of Gützkow as a German town. It replaced a church dating from the 12th century, which was probably destroyed and rebuilt several times. The oldest parts of the present church date from the mid- or second half of the 13th century. This dating is deliberately not tied to a single year of construction: what matters is that this building phase belongs to the 13th century and that the church is also connected to an earlier predecessor.
A massive Slavic castle rampart lies close to the old town. It was used for more than one period: it was also used during the period of German law and later built over with a stone castle. Limited excavations in 1935 uncovered old plank roads and, in the same location, five blockhouses built one on top of another.
Another historical stop is the castle chapel. Built in 1859 from yellow bricks in Neo-Gothic forms, it was reconstructed between 1996 and 2003. Together with St. Nicolai Church and the castle rampart, it offers a different way to experience the town than the activities by the lake: here, architectural styles and earlier periods of use take centre stage, rather than walking and swimming.
Discover More Places
If you’d like to explore places beyond Gützkow, you’ll also find Lühmannsdorf, Gribow, Rubkow, Karlsburg, Groß Kiesow, Murchin, Bandelin and Ziethen here.
For the overarching travel overview: Amt Züssow.
