Poor Müritz. It takes second fiddle to the Bodensee in the fact that Lake Constance is considered the largest lake in Germany. However, I’ll sing Müritz’s praises that it’s the largest lake IN Germany.
Confused? Don’t be. Lake Constance shares its shores with Austria and Switzerland, while the Müritz is completely surrounded by German soil. See? IN Germany. ;-)
How big is the Müritz? Well, its total surface area is just over 112 square kilometers; and at its deepest point is some 31-meters. The coolest part is that the lake was created during the last Ice Age, and that it’s surrounded by awesome towns and villages, and it is part of the Mecklenburg Lakes (in case the Müritz is not enough for ya).
FYI, on the eastern edge is a national park that’s kind of swampy and forested. So, if you’re not totally into the nature thing, stick to the hamlets and shires dotting its shores.
You don’t necessarily need a car to get to the Müritz because it’s connected to the Müritz Havel Waterway that sees over 40,000 recreational boats a year. Believe it or not, that means you could actually experience a traffic jam. It’s also connected to the Kölpinsee (another lake) via the Reeckkanal, so you can get here from there too.
Because lakes are different from rivers (as they have no start or end point) it’s not so easy to follow it downstream. However, with a boat you can zig-zag, criss-cross, go clock or counter clockwise all you want to the towns sitting on its banks.
Places like the isthmus of Klink (yeah, like Colonel Klink from Hogan’s Heroes) with its neo-Renaissance style castle that’s now a hotel. Or, to towns like Röbel that has an awesome 19th century Gallery Dutch windmill not too far from a 13th century medieval church.
Next to Röbel is Sietow where every year they hold a Port Fest; and as any water loving town like Ludorf there’s a museum to ship building. It’s the villages of Vipperow that’ll stun you with its amazing Romanesque church that’s got an outstanding painting of the Last Judgement from the 14th century.
Most come to this lake via Waren, though, the largest town at the Müritz. No wonder as it’s a spa town.
In order to gain entry into the Müritz National Park, boat your way over to Rechlin. What you’ll also find here is an Aviation Tech Museum, a World War I Memorial, and the very pretty 19th century Church of St. John.
Do you see what kind of adventures and fantastic places await you here at the Müritz? The best part? It’s all totally German.
