In Sarnow, an unusual church building, a megalithic tomb in the forest, and distinctive road and canal routes come together. These different themes offer several starting points for planning your trip: cultural history, archaeological traces, or getting your bearings in the wider area.
A village church with a special history and design
Sarnow Village Church was built in 1754 under Field Marshal General Curd Christoph von Schwerin as a late Baroque church. Its age is not the only remarkable feature: the church, poorhouse and school are all housed under one roof. This combination is unique in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and makes the church a special point of interest for a stay focused on the history and architecture of the village.
Its exterior can also be described in detail: the church is an elongated, plastered rectangular building made of brick and individual fieldstones. It also has a recessed west tower and a gabled roof. Together, these features create a clear picture of the building, while its former combination of religious, social and educational uses tells a story beyond its architecture.
The Sarnow Church-Hospital-School Association holds events in the church three to four times a year. Together with donations, these events raise funds for its ongoing preservation and renovation. If you would like to include an event in your plans, check the specific dates before your trip.
Archaeological traces in the forest
A slightly disturbed megalithic tomb lies at a crossroads in Sarnow Forest, 260 metres from the edge of the woods. Several other tombs are less well preserved. Alongside the village church, this offers a second, very different point of interest for a stay: here, the focus is on an archaeological monument, rather than the village’s architectural history.
There are also cycling and hiking trails around Sarnow. Poppies and cornflowers grow along their edges. If you plan to use one of these trails, ask locally about its current availability. This lets you consider the trails as a separate part of your plans without assuming a particular route.
Road trip, roads and canal: distinguishing the routes
The 100-kilometre road trip “Der Grafenwinkel” (The Counts’ Corner) starts and ends in Anklam. It follows the B 197 to Sarnow, where it turns towards Spantekow. Sarnow is therefore a point along the route, not its starting or ending point. The B 197 runs through Sarnow and is crossed there by the L 31. When driving, take current road conditions and signage into account.
The Peene-South Canal offers a different point of reference: it is 27 kilometres long and runs from Stolpe via Sarnow to Kavelpass, where it reaches the Landgraben. Near Sarnow, it crosses the B 197. The road trip “Der Grafenwinkel” and the canal therefore describe different geographical routes: one is a circular drive from Anklam via Sarnow towards Spantekow, while the other is the course of the canal from Stolpe to the Landgraben. Keeping this distinction in mind helps avoid confusing the places and routes mentioned when planning.
The wider region: Vorpommern-Greifswald
Looking beyond the village, Sarnow is part of the wider travel destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald. The district’s three nature parks cover almost 40 percent of its area. This describes the regional context, not individual attractions in Sarnow.
Cultural destinations in the district offer their own highlights. The Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald displays the Croy Tapestry from 1554, a unique cultural and historical artefact from the Reformation era. The Juliett U-461 is moored in the harbour at Peenemünde as a museum and can be explored on a tour. Check the current visitor arrangements before setting out on the tour. This makes it possible to consider Sarnow’s local attractions and other destinations in the wider travel region of Vorpommern-Greifswald separately.
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can choose Sarnow according to your travel interests: the village church combines architectural history with its unusual use of a shared building, while the megalithic tomb, trails and canal reveal other aspects of the village and its surroundings.
Discover more destinations: Rossin, Neuenkirchen, Boldekow, Neetzow, Medow, Liepen, Postlow, Bugewitz.
For the wider travel overview: Amt Anklam-Land.
