Schloß Schwerin

If fairytales were to have a birthplace it must be Schwerin. Even from a distance, just laying eyes on their impossibly beautiful castle makes me feel like a princess, or at least, like the world is full of hope and beauty.

Set on the shores of a lake, the castle (Schloß or schloss), is in fact surrounded by not just one but seven lakes (perhaps even more), along with rambling parks and gardens. Just the setting for horse drawn carriage ridges, picnics and chasing butterflies.

The reality may be slightly less peaceful and rather less idealistic.

Settlements in the vicinity can be dated to the early 11th Century as Bishop Theitmar Van Marseburg, an important chronicler who recorded the reigns of German kings and Holy Roman Emperors of the Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty, describes in his chronicles, battles against neighboring tribes that took place in 1018.

The town was not officially founded until 1160 when the Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, the Guelph Duke Henry the Lion, captured the castle and conferred on the settlement “Dux Henricus et Sigillum Civitatis Swerin”, as imprinted on the seal of the town charter. Henry battled the ruling Obotrite (Slavic tribe) Prince Nikola who fled to the interior during the battle to capture the castle. Prince Nikola was later killed in battle and Henry proceeded to appoint a governor. Seven years later he made Nikola’s son his father’s heir. Thus, a Wendish prince founded what later became the Dukedom of Mecklenburg, a lineage which continued for centuries.

History also touts the castle as the home of Petermännchen, a small amiable household wight. He roams the hallways and vaults of the palace, the watchman and keeper. He is said to reward the good and honest and punish the wicked, periodically playing tricks and being a nuisance.

Today Schwerin is still said to be the home of Petermännchen and is also the seat of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament, the smallest of 16 state capitals and the only one which is not a major city. Although it is said to be the oldest city east of the Elbe, Schwerin, as it appears today, has really developed since the beginning of the 18th Century. After six major fires between 1531 and 1697 repeatedly destroyed the medieval town, much of the city has been rebuilt.

Inside the castle, the most important historical rooms, those used by the royalty of the past, has been preserved. Of these 42 rooms, 28 have been restored and set aside as the Palace Museum, including rooms such as: the Pillar Room; the Legend Room; the Blücher Room; the Leander Room; the Dining Room; the Red Audience Room; the Tea Room; the Parlour; Winter Room; Reception Room; Library; Billiard Room; Smoking Room; Ancestral Portrait Gallery; and the castle’s showpiece, the Throne Room.

The Leander Room

This round tower room, with a clear reference to antiquity, has the character of an impressive Tempietto (small temple). The Italian style carries through from architecture to decoration (and namesake) and is clear in the painted marble and murals, while the subjects of the paintings make reference to animals and the surrounding countryside, including hunting and stock farming of the local area.

The Dining Room

The sumptuous woodwork in their room lends to it an elegant yet eye catching quality. The wall paneling is Canadian bird’s eye maple which the parquet floor is crafted from mahogany, oak and ash. Even though the room was originally designated as a dining room and is still referred to as such, it was in fact used by Friedrich Franz III as a study.

The stunning glass window is a 19th Century reproduction of a late medieval model depicting St Catherine’s engagement to Jesus as a child. The fabulous vases were produced at the St Petersburg Imperial Porcelain Factory and were likely a gift from Tsar Nikola’s to the Grand Duchess Alexandrine, his sister in law.

The Parlour

Another room with exquisite woodwork is the Parlour with its oak wall paneling, the warmth of which is offset by the startling blue half damask silk covering the upper half of the walls.

The Ancestral Portrait Gallery

With an imposing line up of ancestors peering down at us, the entrance hall to the throne room is designed to be intimidating. The gallery displays 31 portraits which compile the Mecklenburg-Schwerin line of succession from 1348. The whole display is complemented by the room decoration consisting of guilted cast zinc pillars and yet more wonderfully patterned parquetry flooring.

The Throne Hall

The decoration of the magnificent throne room is relatively new. While the original throne canopy and seat remain, dating to circa 1750, the remainder of the decorations inclusive of the Carrara marble pillars, guided cast iron doors, painting (including on the ceilings) and more parquet flooring, were completed between 1856 and 1858.

After the castle rooms there are some small display rooms as part of the museum with interesting artifacts, however, we are keen to get out and look at the grounds and the town so we pass through this area rather quickly.

The focal point of the palace gardens is its intersecting canals. These were laid out by the French landscape architect Jean Legeay between 1748 and 1756. The more modern ‘floating meadows’ were introduced in 2009 as a part of an upgrade of the grounds for the National Garden Festival celebrations.

The glass and iron Orangerie structure was a mid 19th century addition linking the palace to the lake with colonnades, roof terraces and flower beds in full fairytale bloom.

Good To Know

The castle also contains a church and is the headquarters of the state parliament meaning that some of the building is reserved for active parliamentary duty and offices.

Would I Return?

Yes, undoubtedly, this is where fairytales are made, or at least could be.

The room descriptions in this post are largely taken from information signs in the castle.