The village church, set on a village green-like widening, is a distinctive feature of Ritzerow. When planning your trip, it is also worth distinguishing between the village and the municipality: Galenbeck is a village within the municipality of Ritzerow, but it is not the settlement of Ritzerow itself. Lake Galenbeck, an educational trail, and the Galenbeck Soapbox are associated with Galenbeck and form a distinct focal point within the municipality.

Village Church and History in Ritzerow

Ritzerow is a former farming village with a village green-like widening on which the village church stands. The church was rebuilt in the 1860s; its tower was completed in 1884. The two dates refer to different stages in the building’s history: the rebuilding of the church and the completion of the tower.

Ritzerow was first documented in 1256. By 1276, the village, which later became a ducal estate village, already had a parish. The ecclesiastical affiliation also links Ritzerow with Galenbeck: Ritzerow Church and Galenbeck Chapel are among the churches and chapels of the Evangelical Lutheran Johannes Church Parish of Penzlin-Stavenhagen.

Galenbeck: Lake, Educational Trail, and Estate Village

Galenbeck, a small former estate village in the municipality of Ritzerow, lies on the shore of the lake of the same name, Lake Galenbeck. The village attracts numerous day-trippers from nearby and farther afield each year for hiking, walking, and cycling. An educational trail leads from Galenbeck to an observation platform with a good view of the lake. In front of the village lie the nature reserve at Lake Galenbeck and the “Brohmer Berge” landscape protection area.

The village’s history also includes the originally symmetrical estate courtyard complex. Only the former manor house and two other residential buildings remain. This local history complements the lake’s landscape and hiking attractions; both are focal points in Galenbeck, not in the settlement of Ritzerow.

Galenbeck Soapbox

The Galenbeck Soapbox is housed in an 1890 coach house on the former van der Lancken manor estate in Galenbeck. It stands by the Galenbeck village pond between Rosenow and Ritzerow and is the factory outlet for the Galenbeck soap manufactory.

Body creams and body oils from the “MeBa COSMETIC” skincare line are made at the Galenbeck Soapbox. You can also discover traditionally boiled soaps and aromatherapy products: bath salts, shower bombs, smelling salts, soy wax candles, and incense. The Soapbox is thus a distinct cultural and product destination in Galenbeck, alongside the educational trail and the landscape attractions around the lake.

Opening hours are listed as Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. each day. Check the hours before your visit.

Other Settlement Landscapes in the Municipality

Several isolated farmsteads are also located outside the built-up area of Ritzerow, set in a beautiful landscape. Wackerow, also a village within the municipality, consists of a cluster of isolated farmsteads, some of them far apart, that blend into the surrounding landscape.

The settlement patterns therefore vary within the municipality: in Ritzerow, the village green-like widening with the village church defines the villagescape; in Wackerow, isolated farmsteads, some widely spaced, shape the settlement. This distinction helps visitors tell Ritzerow, a specific place to stay, apart from the other villages and attractions in the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Kittendorf, Gülzow, Stavenhagen, Rosenow, Bredenfelde, Mölln, Knorrendorf, Briggow

For the wider travel overview: Stavenhagen District.