Wolgast – History, Routes and Special Discoveries

Discover the Town’s History

The “Kaffeemühle” town museum tells the story of Wolgast’s development across four floors, from a Pomeranian ducal residence to a modern shipbuilding centre. At the museum, residents and visitors can also view a digital reconstruction of Wolgast’s former ducal castle, which no longer exists. Here, you can encounter the town’s history and imagine a building that is no longer standing today.

The railway steam ferry “Stralsund” represents another chapter in maritime history. It was built at the Schichau shipyard in Elbing and entered service on 20 October 1890 under the Royal Prussian Railway Engineering Office. The listed vessel is considered Europe’s oldest railway steam ferry; guided tours are offered on board. Those interested in the history of technology and transport will find a different way to engage with the past here than in the town museums.

The Historic Town Hall acquired its present form in the early 18th century. A museum dedicated to the life and work of the painter Philipp Otto Runge is housed in his birthplace. It opened on 23 July 1997, on Runge’s 220th birthday. Together with the “Kaffeemühle”, these sites offer several ways to get to know Wolgast through its history, art and buildings.

Brick Churches and a Special Way of the Cross

St. Peter’s Church is a three-aisled brick basilica dating from the 14th century. Its crypt contains the burial place of the last dukes of Pomerania. The Jerusalem Way of the Cross leads from here to St. Gertrude’s Chapel, a replica of the Holy Sepulchre. In the 15th century, Duke Wartislaw IX of Pomerania had the historic route recreated after a journey to Jerusalem. It is a 1:1 copy of the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem and is about one Roman mile long.

The chapel itself is also unusually designed: the 15th-century, twelve-sided brick building has a central column and a star vault. Of the more than 30 St. Gertrude’s chapels originally found in Pomerania, only four remain today; the Wolgast chapel is the only one in Germany. The church, Way of the Cross and chapel thus offer different perspectives on the town’s religious and architectural history.

Routes, Water and Small Discoveries

Wolgast lies on the Baltic Sea Cycle Route, the Way of St. James and the E9. One section of the Hanseatic Route runs from Greifswald via Buddenhagen and Hohendorf through the town and onwards to the island of Usedom. Those interested in longer routes can also consider Wolgast in connection with these named trails; the Hanseatic Route section describes a specific sequence of places.

The museum harbour is on the so-called Castle Island in the Peenestrom. Dreilindengrund bathing spot is also on the Peenestrom, north of Wolgast town centre. There are bicycle parking facilities, play areas and a barbecue spot. For a quieter moment of discovery, visit Mühlenstein Park on Dr.-Theodor-Neubauer-Straße: this small park is home to a freely accessible collection established in the late 1980s. It includes Stone Age millstones and millstones from the modern era.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Wolgast, you can first consider which themes you would like to shape your stay: town history and art, churches and the Way of the Cross, routes, or time by the Peenestrom. These interests can help you decide what kind of trip to take in Wolgast without limiting your stay to a single experience. You can also find more places to help plan your trip in Krummin, Lütow, Lassan, Zemitz, Buggenhagen and Sauzin.

For the overarching travel overview: Amt Am Peenestrom.