A clear local starting point for a trip to Drechow is the Protestant Church of St. Mary. The fieldstone building dates from the 13th or 14th century. A detached bell tower stands directly beside the church and was renovated in 2014/2015. Together, the church and bell tower provide a specific focal point for anyone wishing to understand architectural history through a particular place.
Protestant Church and Architectural History
Dating St. Mary’s Church to the 13th or 14th century places it in the Middle Ages and indicates a period rather than a single year of construction. The renovation of the bell tower in 2014/2015 belongs to a much later period. “Fieldstone building” describes the church’s construction method; the detached bell tower serves as a separate structure for the bells. This makes it possible to consider the building style, date and later renovation as distinct aspects of architectural history.
Another architectural-history connection lies within the municipality of Drechow, though not in the place of the same name: Katzenow is a district of the municipality. Katzenow Manor House was built in 1885 by Ulrich Count von Behr-Negendank in a grand style. For geographical clarity, it is worth distinguishing between the two: St. Mary’s Church is in the village of Drechow, while the manor house is in Katzenow, a district within the municipality. This brings two different buildings and periods into view without locating them in the same place.
Vorpommern-Rügen as the wider setting
In the broader travel destination of Vorpommern-Rügen, the focus expands from Drechow’s architectural history to regional culture. The district has an estimated 60 museums. The old town of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar”. The Störtebeker Festival is also among the cultural events for which Vorpommern-Rügen is known. These examples represent different cultural points of interest in the district: collections, events and historic townscapes.
The Gallery at the Monastery in Ribnitz-Damgarten offers a specific perspective on art. The art collection of the district of Vorpommern-Rügen is preserved, maintained and administered there. It comprises around 500 works of painting, prints, sculpture, ceramics, silk painting and textile design, spanning the period from the late 19th century to the present day. The gallery also has a permanent exhibition of prints by Lyonel Feininger. Check the current visitor regulations before your visit.
Landscape themes in the district
The district of Vorpommern-Rügen includes the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula chain, as well as the island of Rügen and the nearby islands of Hiddensee and Ummanz. On Rügen, which belongs to the district of Vorpommern-Rügen, the beech forests in Jasmund National Park are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe”.
Choosing accommodation
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide which area you want to focus on: Drechow, with St. Mary’s Church and its architectural history, or a broader thematic perspective on Vorpommern-Rügen. The manor-house history in Katzenow is part of the municipality of Drechow, not the village of Drechow itself.
Discover more destinations: Bad Sülze, Gransebieth, Dettmannsdorf, Grammendorf, Lindholz, Hugoldsdorf, Deyelsdorf, Eixen
Go to the broader travel overview: Amt Recknitz-Trebeltal.
