Güstrow Palace

Guestrow Palace is one of the most important Renaissance palace complexes in northern Europe. Built between 1558 and 1598 for Duke Ulrich of Mecklenburg, the palace was designed by architect Franz Parr, who worked in the Dutch Renaissance style then fashionable in the Baltic region. The four-winged complex surrounds a spacious inner courtyard with three tiers of arcades. The palace escaped major damage in WWII and retains its original Renaissance interiors to a remarkable degree. The Great Hall on the first floor of the main wing is the ceremonial centre of the palace, with a carved and painted wooden ceiling by Flemish masters depicting allegorical and mythological scenes, an elaborate stucco frieze, and a monumental Renaissance fireplace. The princely apartments preserve the original room layout with painted wall panels, inlaid floors, and stucco details. The castle chapel, located in the east wing, retains its Renaissance pulpit and gallery. The formal gardens were reconstructed in the 20th century to their original Renaissance layout, with symmetrical flower beds, clipped hedges, and a central fountain. The town of Guestrow itself is known for the Gothic Guestrow Cathedral with its Ernst Barlach floating angel sculpture, making the whole visit a cultural stop between Schwerin and the Baltic coast.