Schwerin Castle

Whether observed from the water or when strolling down Schlossstraße from Schwerin’s city centre, Schwerin Castle is a true eye-catcher and immediately evokes fairy tale images with towers that seem to reach for the sky and a golden dome that glitters in the sun. The island upon which is sits and the building’s Neo-Renaissance architecture draw you in magically. No wonder some people have nicknamed this beautiful castle the „Neuschwanstein of the North“. 

Yet Schwerin Castle was preceded by much more modest edifices recorded to have been there since medieval times. In the winter of 941/942, a massive wooden grid about 45 metres wide was used to build a fort. However, it did not last long, becoming so dilapidated about two decades later that its defensive walls had toppled over thus requiring new construction. Around 973, a travelling merchant from Moorish Andalusia reported that a castle was being built near the shore of a freshwater lake. It can be assumed that he meant the present-day frontier fortress on the castle island. 
The origin of the town's name „Schwerin“ can probably be traced back to this period. The indigenous Polabian Slavic population are said to have called their castle „Zuarin“ which means something like „wooded environment rich in wildlife“ or „stockyard“. Over the centuries, this became „Schwerin“. The Slavic name makes perfect sense because the fortress at that time was not so much a residence as it was a stable used to keep livestock.
What that Andalusian merchant had described was later substantiated by excavations conducted in 1987, revealing parts of the old Slavic fort. In 2014, remains of the first castle were also unearthed from the courtyard. Its timbers were examined at the German Archaeological Institute, dating their origin sometime between the years 962 and 974.

Schwerin’s Foundation

In 1160, the Slavic Obotrite tribe was overrun in their fort by Germanic noblemen under Henry the Lion. The Obotrites under Prince Niklot subsequently destroyed and abandoned it themselves, which did not deter their conquerors. Instead, they recognised the excellent strategic position of an island between two lakes and simply built a new fort in its place. Much more sturdy construction was employed with more than 8,500 oak piles as its new foundations. The town was granted a charter that year, thus marking its historic founding.

Residential Castle

Almost 200 years later, Duke Albrecht II, a descendant of Niklot, purchased the county and moved his residence from Wismar to the castle island.
Rebuilding continued henceforth. In doing so, the resident dukes placed increasing emphasis on installing more sophisticated accomodations, playing down its defensive character. Strolling through Schwerin Castle today, visitors can admire the so-called Bishop's House in the lakeside castle ensemble as a testimony to the Late Gothic period.
Building activity on the castle grounds intensified in particular in the 16^th century under Johann Albrecht I, who gradually developed it into a representative residence. The façades were decorated with terracotta slabs typical of the Mecklenburg Renaissance period.
The oriental decorations seen on the roofs in the form of crescents, in turn, date back to the Second Viennese Turkish Siege of the 17^th century. At the time, victory seemed almost hopeless, but when the Polish king’s army nevertheless managed to rout the invading troops, the entire country celebrated their valor. Crescent moons were then placed on the roofs by the residents of the area’s castles and manor houses to mark this victory.

Stagnation

Other ambitious plans for the palace were conceived that same century. Had these plans been implemented, Schwerin would have shined bright with one of the most spectacular German Renaissance palaces of the time. However, the Thirty Years' War put a stop to that. 

In the following period, reconstruction of Schwerin Castle was only limited. Only the castle interiors were embellished. Members of Mecklenburg’s upper class prevented the absolutist monarchy from continuing such costly pursuits. In the 18th century, the dukes simply could not force modern construction. The times were so unfavourable for the sovereigns that they even moved the court in 1763, building Ludwigslust Palace. 

The grandiose mid-19th Century

Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II was ultimately able to force change. His father had moved the court from Ludwigslust back to Schwerin. Radical reconstruction plans were commissioned immediately after he had stepped down and the young monarch ascended to power in 1842. Court architect and politician Georg Adolph Demmler submitted his architectural visions that were intended to preserve parts of the existing Renaissance building, while simultaneously heralding its expansion into a monumental residence. He also had the old crescent moons restored, which had since been dismantled. Friedrich Franz II was a great admirer of the Orient and these symbols signified his yearning for faraway places.

Together with Prussian court architects Herrmann Willebrand, Gottfried Semper and Friedrich August Stüler, the new building was created as we know it today, taking 14 years (1843-1857) to build. It was also Friedrich August Stüler who, after Georg Adolph Demmler left the civil service, added some sculptural elements to the city-side façade. This includes the large equestrian statue of Niklot. Stüler placed a splendid copula where Demmler had originally envisioned a lantern.

The new castle was formally inaugurated on May 26 1857. Composer Friedrich von Flotow had written the opera „Johann Albrecht“ to a libretto by Eduard Hobein in order to mark the occasion. Key construction participants were conferred commemorative medals during the lavish ceremony.

Recent Castle History

In the early 20^th century, things took another dramatic turn for Schwerin Castle. A fire destroyed about one third of the building. The cause is still unknown to this day. Only the foundation walls of the castle’s lake wing have survived. The castle’s garden wing lost its upper floors. The splendid Golden Hall and the richly decorated main staircase were completely destroyed by the flames. The latter was replaced by a red marble staircase. Further restoration work followed, at first on the outside, then on the interior. In 1972, a new ballroom was built where the Golden Hall had once stood.

The castle used to be a ducal residence, but this changed over time. In 1919, the castle became the property of the state government. Later, a radio studio and various offices moved in. During the National Socialist era, the castle housed a kindergarten run by the National Socialist People's Welfare organization. Towards the end of the Second World War, some rooms housed a military hospital. After the war, the Soviet military administration occupied the building. Without citing specific dates, a lot happened in subsequent years: a plenary hall was built in the castle’s lake-side wing, a kindergarten teacher training school moved in, then a museum of prehistory and early history, as well as a polytechnic museum. Later, some rooms were restored and used as an art museum.

After German Reunification

German reunification ushered in changes as well, spurring castle restoration efforts. In 1989, 25 companies from the far northern city of Kiel got together and founded a sponsorship association. They donated half a million deutschmarks to support urgent restoration measures, as the historic building seemed to be slowly deteriorating.
In 1990, Schwerin Castle became the seat of the state assembly of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Construction of a new plenary hall commenced in the castle’s garden wing in 2014 to be completed in 2017.

Any visitor of Schwerin Castle today cannot help but feel its grandeur. Its French Renaissance influences paired with local building traditions have a particular impact. Its island location with its lakeside panorama and beautiful castle gardens adds to the effect. The gardens were extensively revamped and restored for Germany’s Federal Horticultural Show in 2009 and are accessible at all times.
Visitors exploring the castle's interior can stroll through its splendid living quarters and ceremonial rooms, discover the throne room and admire the paintings in the ancestral portrait gallery. Priceless paintings, sculptures or handicrafts await the visitor on three floors, especially those dating from the 19th century – Schwerin Castle’s most splendid epoch.

In 2007, Schwerin Castle was embossed on a commemorative German 2 euro coin. What's more, the state parliament has also been campaigning since then to make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The application was submitted five years later. Today, the „Residence Ensemble Schwerin“ is one of nine candidates for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Architectural Style
The present-day castle was partly rebuilt in the historicist style or preserved in historicist elements. The use of terracotta for the architectural ornaments was dominant during the German Renaissance. This is especially true of North German brick Renaissance architecture at Wismar’s Fürstenhof and at Gadebusch Castle, for example. Material was supplied by the workshop of Lübeck-born master Statius von Düren. The palace ensemble is exceptionally modern for its construction period. Stüler set decisive accents on the city-facing façade with sculptural elements such as the large equestrian statue of Niklot. Its crowning glory is a monumental grand cupola. Stüler enlisted the help of Heinrich Strack for the sculptural elements and Berlin's Karl von Diebitsch for the Moorish bath for some of the interior designs. Schwerin and Berlin workshops supplied most parts of the sculptural decoration and interior design. Notable sculptors were Christian Genschow, Gustav Willgohs, Heinrich Petters, Georg Wiese and Albert Wolff. The ceremonial inauguration of the renovated castle was held in May 1857. Composer Friedrich von Flotow created his opera „Johann Albrecht“ for the occasion.