Bentzin offers two different ways to explore the past: a Neo-Gothic fieldstone church stands in the village, while the cup-marked stone near Bentzin can be reached on foot. Together, these themes lead from architectural history to archaeological traces.
Churches and Art in Bentzin and the Municipality
The Neo-Gothic fieldstone church in Bentzin dates from 1862. It features altarpieces by Carl Gottfried Pfannschmidt (1819–1887). The date of construction and the artist attribution highlight different aspects: one refers to the construction of the church, the other to its furnishings.
There are also church history themes outside the Bentzin settlement area, but still within the municipality of Bentzin. Zemmin is home to the oldest church in the municipality; inside is a valuable Marian altar from the early 16th century. The village church in Alt Plestlin dates from the 14th or 15th century. The place names help put this into context: Zemmin and Alt Plestlin belong to the municipality but are not part of the Bentzin settlement.
Hiking, the Peene and Kiessee Lake
The cup-marked stone near Bentzin is considered evidence of early human existence and can be reached on foot. Those looking for an archaeological connection alongside the churches will find a different theme here: the focus is on an early trace of human existence rather than architectural design or an altar.
In Alt Plestlin, also within the municipality and outside the Bentzin settlement area, there is a waterway rest area on the Peene. It is located in the Peene Valley and in a nature reserve. This adds a water-related theme to the church sites; its location in the valley and protected area is part of the setting of this rest area.
Another destination within the municipality is Zarrenthin. A replica of a burial mound from the second half of the 3rd millennium BC stands right at the entrance to the bathing beach on Kiessee Zarrenthin; it opened in 2005. Here, the connection to the bathing beach and an archaeological site are brought together in one place. The municipality of Bentzin borders the small town of Jarmen at the bathing beach on Zarrenthin’s Kiessee Lake.
More themes in the wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald
The wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald offers other distinctive nature and culture themes. The Ueckermünde Heath is ideal for hiking, cycling and horse riding. These activities describe the heath in the wider destination, not the village of Bentzin.
There is also regional guidance for cycling: the Baltic Sea Cycle Route, part of the EuroVelo EV10 route, passes through the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald. The Stettiner Haff circular route and the Route of North German Romanticism are among the regional cycle routes for exploring the district. If you plan to ride one of these routes, check the route and signposting before setting off.
Cultural alternatives in the district offer different highlights. The Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald displays the Croy Tapestry from 1554, a unique cultural and historical artefact from the Reformation era. In Anklam, the Otto Lilienthal Museum is dedicated to aviation pioneer, mechanical engineer and humanist Otto Lilienthal in his hometown. As a museum focused on a historical figure and technology, it has a different focus from the cultural and historical artefact in Greifswald.
Bentzin can thus be understood through its churches, the cup-marked stone and the themes found within the municipality. Vorpommern-Greifswald broadens the picture with distinctive nature, cycling and cultural attractions, without attributing them to the village of Bentzin.
Discover more destinations: Tutow, Kruckow, Völschow, Alt Tellin, Daberkow, Jarmen
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Amt Jarmen-Tutow.
