The impressive grand-ducal ensemble of the Arsenal extends along the southwest shore of the Pfaffenteich. The imposing structure directs the gaze of the stroller across the water and holds it firmly. Georg Adolf Demmler designed the plans for the Arsenal, which were executed by architects Herrmann Willebrand and Gottlieb Ruge from 1840 to 1844 – as an arsenal.
The decision of the Grand Duke to move his residence from Ludwigslust to Schwerin was also linked to the relocation of the garrison of the Guard Regiment. Therefore, the new building was intended to serve as both barracks and arsenal – a task for Demmler. The building encompassed everything necessary for military administration, including the military court, the prison, the recruitment commission, classrooms, exercise halls for the troops, a dining hall, and stables.
The Pfaffenteich, which previously lay outside the city, now became a prominent feature in urban planning, as further development soon followed adjoining the Arsenal. This necessitated the firm enclosure of the western bank.
Grand-ducal administrative projects provided the occasion for the fortification of the area and the beginning of the staging development. Towards the west, the medieval city around the historic Pfaffenteich had hardly expanded until then.
After World War I, the police were housed in the Arsenal. Refugees found shelter here after the end of World War II until 1947. The Schwerin district administration used the large administrative complex as the seat of the People's Police after the founding of the GDR
About the style
The style of the Arsenal is Tudor Gothic, inspired by English Late Gothic typical of the first decades of historicism. The massive towers of the central projection and the corner pavilions are connected by the continuous crenellation of the eaves with elegant corner towers. Its castle-like character is achieved through the consistent ashlar masonry of the wall surfaces. Enhanced with a contemporary light coat of paint, the grand-ducal administrative complex had the appearance of a representative lordly palace by the water.
During the course of refurbishment, the impression of a representative lordly palace by the water was lost. Initially used as an arsenal and later as a police barracks after World War I, the Arsenal went by the name Adolf Hitler Barracks during the Nazi era. From 1945 to July 1947, it served as accommodation for refugees. Subsequently, the building housed the district authority of the German People's Police.
Since 1990, the Arsenal has been the seat of the State Ministry of the Interior
