The Zirzow Mill brings together an early documentary mention and a specific chapter in the history of electricity. Zirzow can therefore be explored through two distinct milestones: the mill tradition in the valley and the move to its own electricity supply in 1904.
The Zirzow Mill: from early records to an electricity supply
The Zirzow Mill was first mentioned in a document in 1230. It is the only one of what were once five watermills in the valley to have survived. This contrast places the individual mill in a broader context: it represents an earlier milling tradition of which only one mill has remained. The year 1230 refers to the early written mention; it should not be taken as the year the mill was built.
A different chapter begins in 1904. From that year on, the mill could supply itself with electricity using a 110-volt direct-current system. The specific voltage and type of current turn the general history of hydropower into a tangible technical subject. Taken together, these details show two different sides of the mill: its long history and a precisely dated step in its energy supply. For a visit to Zirzow, the mill provides a clear historical focus without requiring an extensive collection of mills.
The hydropower installation is also connected to the Energy Hiking Trail: it is included on the map for this trail, which opened in 1999. The hiking trail runs through the area around Neubrandenburg and has nine stations. This places the installation within a broader thematic context, while the mill itself provides a specific connection to the history of hydropower in Zirzow. If you plan to include the trail in your itinerary, check the latest trail information in advance.
More nature and culture in the Mecklenburg Lake District
The wider travel destination of the Mecklenburg Lake District offers other landscapes and activities. MĂĽritz National Park is part of this region and is characterised by forests, moors, lakes and expansive meadows. The MĂĽritz National Park Hiking Trail explores these landscape types over nine stages: it follows lakeshores, passes through ancient forests and by inland dunes, and leads to the source of the Havel. The nine stations of the Energy Hiking Trail and the nine stages of the national park trail offer different ways to structure an outing around a theme: one connects the hydropower installation with an energy trail, while the other explores the landscape of MĂĽritz National Park.
Guided nature experiences are also part of what the Mecklenburg Lake District has to offer. Certified nature and landscape guides lead informative tours through Müritz National Park, including guided walks in the UNESCO World Heritage beech forest of Serrahn and tours from the water. The Damerower Werder bison reserve offers a different view of the region: it lies on a peninsula in Lake Kölpin and in Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heath Nature Park. Visitors can observe bison there. The reserve also has a forest adventure trail with climbing facilities, an ant house, an exhibition with tactile and visual information panels, and a dendrophone.
For those exploring by water, the Mecklenburg Lake District offers another regional highlight: from Neustrelitz town harbour, visitors can explore Müritz National Park and the Strelitz Small Lakes District via the Upper Havel Waterway. These nature, water and wildlife experiences are distinct themes within the wider travel destination. Zirzow’s distinctive point of interest, by contrast, remains the watermill—with its early mention, its electricity supply from 1904 and its connection to the Energy Hiking Trail.
Discover more destinations: Neddemin, Staven, Brunn, Beseritz, Blankenhof, Trollenhagen, Sponholz, Woggersin.
Go to the broader travel overview: Amt Neverin.
