At the junction of the old B 110 in Kowalz, the Rostock District register of monuments dated 14 May 2024 lists a milestone, more precisely a full-mile obelisk. The same register lists the main building of the former machine and tractor station at Hauptstraße 24 as a monument. The two entries represent different aspects of the locality’s history: a monument on the former road and a building belonging to a former station.
Manor House and Park History
Kowalz Manor House was originally built as a half-timbered structure, probably in the early 18th century. The writer Margarete von Oertzen, née von Plüskow, was born there in 1854. It is worth distinguishing these dates when putting them in context: the construction date remains approximate, as indicated by “probably,” while the year of birth is stated precisely. Half-timbering is a building method with a load-bearing timber frame and infilled spaces; this construction style adds an architectural aspect to the biographical story.
The landscape includes a park with a magnificent lime-tree avenue and a small pond; the grounds are protected as a historic monument. The manor house and park offer different points of interest: the former links building history with the life of a writer, while the latter is a protected park with specific design features. During a cultural stay, you can explore architectural, biographical and landscape themes in turn.
Church in Thelkow and Megalithic Tomb near Kowalz
In Thelkow, the village church is a fieldstone building from the mid-13th century, constructed around 1260 to 1280; fieldstone and, in part, brick were used. Its richly articulated south portal adds another architectural feature. The date places the building in its historical period, while the materials and portal describe its specific architectural form. Those interested in religious architecture can consider construction date, materials and portal as distinct points of interest.
A different kind of trace of the past lies in a field to the south, between Kowalz and Nustrow: a destroyed but noteworthy megalithic tomb, identifiable by a single tree. Compared with the church, the focus shifts from construction date and architectural form to an archaeological site and its landmark in the landscape.
Cycling Tours and Traces of the Beet Railway
The former beet railway route passes the spot where the points to the former Kowalz loading station were located. A section of the former route near Kowalz has been converted into a cycle path. From Kowalz, you can continue your cycling tour along the old beet railway path and through Sophienhof to Vilz. The “Megalithic Tombs and Slavic Hillforts” cycling tour also passes through Kowalz; check the current route before planning, as route conditions can change.
The information answers different questions when choosing a route: the converted section offers a specific use of the former railway route, the stretch via Sophienhof to Vilz describes one possible continuation from Kowalz, and the themed route signals its cultural focus in its name. You can therefore decide whether your cycling tour should focus on the former railway route, the continuation to Vilz, or the named tour of megalithic tombs and Slavic hillforts.
Discover more destinations: Graal-Muritz, Amt Schwaan, Neubukow, Amt Laage, Amt Gnoien, Amt Rostocker Heide, Evershagen, WarnemĂĽnde
For the overview of the wider region: Rostock.
