Schwerin Castle has been given the coveted UNESCO World Heritage status, putting it on a par with the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Giza.
UNESCO has designated the Schwerin Residence Ensemble as a new World Heritage Site. The responsible committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural and Communication Organization (UNESCO) announced the decision at its 46th session in New Delhi, India.
Schwerin Castle and other parts of the historic city center form the residential ensemble. It survived the Second World War without bomb damage and extends to the main train station with its prince’s room, once reserved for the ruling family.
The Schwerin Residence Ensemble is a captivating architectural complex, centered around the Palatial Castle. This historic site, with its Neo-Renaissance style, has served as a seat of sovereignty since the 12th century. The integration of the buildings with the surrounding lake landscape creates a romantic setting, making it a unique cultural treasure.
Film location and seat of the state parliament
The castle, which is essentially much older, only acquired its current romantic appearance in the mid-19th century, which made it a magnet for visitors and also a backdrop for international film productions. It was the setting for “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. During the GDR era, the castle was used as a training center for kindergarten teachers; today it houses a museum and is the seat of the state parliament and its administration. The cathedral and the Schelfkirche served as the burial place of the dukes.
The idea of putting Schwerin on the World Heritage List is more than 20 years old. There are more than 50 World Heritage sites in Germany.
Herrnhut in Saxony is also a World Heritage Site
Yesterday, Friday, the committee in New Delhi had already decided on an application with German participation: The small Saxon town of Herrnhut has also received the title as part of the settlements of the Moravian Church. Herrnhut is the origin of the Evangelical Moravian Church.
Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700–1760) provided the religious refugees with land for settlement in Upper Lusatia. On June 17, 1722, the carpenter Christian David felled the first tree to build the new settlement under the “Lord’s care.” As the Moravian Church spread worldwide, missionaries from Upper Lusatia brought a blueprint for new settlements to other countries. One of these settlements, Christiansfeld in Denmark, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
Herrnhut itself was added to the list through a transnational extension application, together with Bethlehem in Pennsylvania (USA) and Gracehill in Northern Ireland. The decision was met with great joy in Saxony.
