Groß Godems combines a half-timbered church dating from 1688 with a landscape shaped by mixed and pine forests. The church also takes centre stage in the village green settlement; the wider Sonnenberg area features glacial landforms and notable Douglas fir stands. You can tailor your trip to two different interests: architectural and local history, or nature and hiking.
Church and Local History
The church in Groß Godems is a half-timbered building from the 17th century, dated to 1688. Its painted windowpanes also date from that year and show family coats of arms and biblical scenes. One of the church bells was cast in Wismar as early as 1486. Next to the church building is an open wooden bell tower with two bells. These details mark different points in time: the bell is considerably older than the church and its windowpanes.
Groß Godems is considered a village green settlement. The farmsteads are arranged around the church in a defensive layout, making it the centre of the settlement form described. The village’s history goes back further than its surviving architecture: Groß Godems was settled in the Bronze Age and is recorded under the name Wodamiz in 1291. Early settlement, the medieval place name and the 17th-century church therefore represent different historical periods.
Forests and Sonnenberg
Mixed and pine forests, typical of Mecklenburg, shape the landscape around Groß Godems. Sonnenberg is a glacial terminal moraine. The forest is characterised by Douglas fir stands considered unique in Europe. Next to the forest lies a 116-hectare nature reserve. Sonnenberg is also home to the Starke Douglasie (Strong Douglas Fir): planted in 1893, it is about 50 metres tall. The legendary site of Breite Stein in the Sonnenberg area can also be visited.
The natural features span different scales: a glacial landform, an adjacent protected area and a single tree with its own planting history. The area’s natural heritage can thus be explored not only through its forest, but also through its geological context and specific places in the Sonnenberg area.
Hiking, Getting Here and Choosing a Base
The Sonnenberg hiking trail is about 11.5 kilometres long. The route “Hike near Parchim: Around Sonnenberg” crosses the Parchim–Groß Godems road and then continues along the Godemser Stadtweg. These two details help with different planning questions: the first gives an approximate distance, while the second identifies a road crossing and the subsequent section of the trail. If you include both routes in your trip plans, you can take their different lengths and courses into account.
Groß Godems has a road connection to the A 24. Its proximity to Parchim provides shopping opportunities nearby. Cyclists can also enjoy a relaxing stay in Groß Godems, away from busier holiday destinations. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for this trip, choose according to your planned priorities: the church and local history, nature and hiking around Sonnenberg, or a mixture of the two. This makes your own daily plans the guide to choosing a suitable base.
Discover more destinations: Damm, Rom, Spornitz, Domsühl, Zölkow, Severin, Obere Warnow, Lewitzrand.
Back to the broader travel overview: Amt Parchimer Umland.
