Hanseatic City of Rostock

Rostock lies on both sides of the widened lower reaches of the Warnow and, with more than 200,000 inhabitants, is the largest and most important city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The centre of the Hanseatic city is about 15 kilometres from the Baltic Sea. Since the 19th century, Rostock has developed into an important maritime hub in Germany. Today, it is home to a large shipyard, a major seaport with ferry services to Sweden and Denmark, one of Germany’s two most important cruise ports, and several small marinas along the lower Warnow.
Cultural attractions include the Volkstheater, the Kunsthalle, the museums of cultural history at Kröpeliner Tor and in the Monastery of the Holy Cross, St. Mary’s Church, St. Nicholas’ Church and St. Peter’s Church. Of course, the Rostock Zoo, with its Polarium and Darwineum, is a favourite with visitors of all ages.
Following the destruction of the war, Rostock’s Old Town is a blend of reconstruction efforts from different periods. Kröpeliner Straße, a pedestrian zone, offers a wide range of shops and places to eat.
Annual highlights in the events calendar include Hanse Sail in August, a three-day gathering of sailing ships of all types and sizes that attracts more than a million visitors, and northern Germany’s largest Christmas market in December.



Sights in Rostock and Mecklenburg