Thank the Heavens that sometimes my stubbornness and tenacity keep me from just getting up and calling it quits when I think a town doesn’t have all that much to see.
What a huge (H-U-G-E) mistake that would’ve been had I not delved deeper into the town of Stavenhagen.
At first glance, I didn’t see much. Wait… before the nice people of Stavenhagen have me stoned for saying such things, hear me out. I just thought it was a pretty town a bit south of the Baltic Sea, with maybe an old church or something like that.
Hahahaha — yeah right. I found an old church all right, but I also found castles and museums and writers, and festivals. What else more could you ask for?
Yeah, I know, gorgeous countryside. I also found a thousand year old Oak tree — known as the Reutereiche. The tree is named for a famous German writer, Fritz Reuter, a 19th century leader in Low German literature.
He’s not the only writer to have called Stavenhagen home — 20th century German poet, Bert Papenfuß is also a local son. I’d say it’s no wonder there’s a Literature Museum in town.
Hey, I love a book or poem as much as the next person — but I love castles more. Stavenhagen Castle is one of the more famous around these parts; and you can’t miss its bright color. It’s a tad older than Glütz Castle (built 1868), but my favorite is Burg Klempenow, even if this 13th century castle is in ruins.
Medieval castles, a Baroque church (the brick one right in the middle of Stavenhagen), what else? Oh yes, you can even travel along the German Avenues Route traveling all the way to Lake Constance.
That’s a mite far to travel right now; and as pretty as that might be, right now I don’t have any more ambition than to delve even deeper into Stavenhagen.
