Behrenhoff lies 12 km south of the university town of Greifswald. The village’s appearance is still shaped by its impressive farmworkers’ houses; the village church adds medieval architecture to these more recent building phases. Another historically significant trace leads to the manor house, which no longer exists. Together, these offer three distinct ways to explore local history: architectural development, church architecture and events of the 20th century.
Farmworkers’ houses shape the village
The impressive farmworkers’ houses are a visible part of Behrenhoff’s present-day character. They were built in two distinct periods: in the 1860s by Count Carl Felix Woldemar von Behr and in the 1920s by Count Carl Friedrich Felix von Behr. The two building periods also make the houses an interesting record of the village’s development over several decades. By comparison, the village church has a longer history and offers a glimpse of medieval architectural forms.
Brick Gothic and paintings in the village church
Behrenhoff village church was built between the late 13th century and 1415 and is an example of North German Brick Gothic. Originally, it was a three-aisled, three-bay brick basilica with buttresses. These technical terms describe its historic architectural type: three aisles divide the building, three bays mark its sections, and buttresses are part of its exterior architecture. This makes it possible to identify the church not only by its date, but also by its specific architectural type.
The church also features distinct architectural and painted details. The central nave has an eight-part rib vault with ornamental paintings from the first half of the 14th century. The chancel contains medieval wall paintings, which were uncovered in 1897. The paintings on the vault and the wall paintings in the chancel are two different aspects of the interior decoration; their dates also refer to different things: the creation of the ornamental paintings and the year the wall paintings were uncovered. As well as its architectural type, the church thus offers a direct connection to medieval art history.
The manor house: historical use and its end
The former Behrenhoff manor house offers a glimpse into another period. During the Nazi era, lectures by the Protestant theologian and resistance fighter against Nazi terror Dietrich Bonhoeffer were held there under the auspices of Countess Mechthild Behr. From 1942, the manor house was used to store art and cultural property from St. Mary’s Church in Greifswald. The building no longer exists: following a fire on the night of May 8–9, 1945, it was demolished. Unlike the village church and the houses that still shape the village today, this site is associated with the historical use and demise of a building that no longer stands.
Vorpommern-Greifswald as a wider destination
Looking beyond Behrenhoff to the wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald reveals distinct regional attractions that are not part of Behrenhoff’s village character. The Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald displays the 1554 Croy Tapestry, a unique cultural and historical artifact from the Reformation era. In Anklam, the Otto Lilienthal Museum is dedicated to aviation pioneer, mechanical engineer and humanist Otto Lilienthal; it is a museum focused on a notable individual and technology. The two museums offer different cultural themes from local architectural history: an artifact from the Reformation era and the story of a significant person.
The wider destination also has culinary attractions: a guided tour of Greifswald’s historic old town takes visitors to four local restaurants serving sweet and savory treats. The Ueckermünde Heath invites visitors to hike, cycle and ride horses as part of the wider destination. These examples complement Behrenhoff’s own attractions but do not replace them. If you are looking for hotels, you can first decide whether Behrenhoff’s architecture and local history or a broader exploration of Vorpommern-Greifswald is the main reason for your trip.
Discover more destinations: Levenhagen, Diedrichshagen, Neuenkirchen, Weitenhagen, Dargelin, Wackerow, Dersekow, Mesekenhagen.
See the overview of the wider destination: Amt Landhagen.
