Central Rostock’s pride and joy is the 13th-century Marienkirche, the only main Rostock church to survive WWII unscathed (although restorations are…

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Rostock
The large port city of Rostock will never win a beauty contest and for good reason – the town was devastated in WWII and later pummelled by socialist architectural ‘ideals’. Its biggest drawcard – Warnemünde, which has one of Germany’s most appealing beaches – is 13km northwest, where the Warnow River flows into the Baltic Sea.
Rostock does have small but attractive historic enclaves – but you generally have to wade past a landscape of concrete eyesores to reach them. Perhaps its best feature is the vibrant energy provided by the 11,000 university students.
Explore Rostock
- Marienkirche
Central Rostock’s pride and joy is the 13th-century Marienkirche, the only main Rostock church to survive WWII unscathed (although restorations are…
- NNeuer Markt
Rostock’s large, somewhat bland central square is dominated by the splendid 13th-century Rathaus. The building’s baroque facade was added in 1727 after…
- PPetrikirche
The Gothic Petrikirche has a 117m-high steeple – a mariner’s landmark for centuries – that was restored in 1994, having been missing since WWII. There's a…
- AAlter Markt
Red-brick and pastel-coloured buildings on this large market square hark back to the 14th- and 15th-century Hanseatic era.
- KKarls
Gloriously hokey, Karls is a roadside attraction in the cheesiest tradition. The schtick here is fruit, strawberries to be exact. In this sprawling hodge…
- KKulturhistorisches Museum Rostock
The city's cultural history museum has an interesting collection including Victorian furniture and a few sculptures by Ernst Barlach. It's housed in the…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Rostock.
- See
Marienkirche
Central Rostock’s pride and joy is the 13th-century Marienkirche, the only main Rostock church to survive WWII unscathed (although restorations are…
- See
Neuer Markt
Rostock’s large, somewhat bland central square is dominated by the splendid 13th-century Rathaus. The building’s baroque facade was added in 1727 after…
- See
Petrikirche
The Gothic Petrikirche has a 117m-high steeple – a mariner’s landmark for centuries – that was restored in 1994, having been missing since WWII. There's a…
- See
Alter Markt
Red-brick and pastel-coloured buildings on this large market square hark back to the 14th- and 15th-century Hanseatic era.
- See
Karls
Gloriously hokey, Karls is a roadside attraction in the cheesiest tradition. The schtick here is fruit, strawberries to be exact. In this sprawling hodge…
- See
Kulturhistorisches Museum Rostock
The city's cultural history museum has an interesting collection including Victorian furniture and a few sculptures by Ernst Barlach. It's housed in the…
Guidebooks
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