Altenkirchen reveals itself through art- and cultural-history details at the parish church and the legacy of Kosegarten. The beach information, by contrast, relates to the coastal area of the municipality to which it belongs. For planning a stay, these are two different perspectives: a specific connection to the church and the poet, and the municipality’s coastal landscape.

Kosegarten and Altenkirchen Parish Church

Since 2014, the multimedia Kosegarten exhibition at the Kosegarten House and in the churchyard has provided information about the poet and pastor Gotthard Ludwig Theobul Kosegarten (1758–1818). Another biographical connection is his grave at the southwest corner of Altenkirchen Parish Church. Kosegarten served there as pastor from 1792 to 1808 and, as a poet, helped make the beauty of the island of Rügen known beyond Germany around 1800. The exhibition and the grave offer different points of focus: the multimedia exploration of his life on the one hand, and a specific place of remembrance on the other.

The furnishings of the parish church also offer their own points of interest. The altar and the lectern angel come from the workshop of Elias Keßler. The church also has a Neo-Baroque organ made by the Böhm company in 1971; the so-called Svantevit Stone is also located there. The workshop attribution, the organ type and year of construction, and the named stone offer different perspectives on the church and its furnishings.

Beach areas in the municipality of Altenkirchen

The coastal area of the municipality of Altenkirchen includes the North Beach behind Schwarbe on the Baltic Sea and the beach at Drewoldke on the Tromper Wiek. The stretches of beach around Altenkirchen slope gently; the municipality’s beaches mentioned here are unspoilt. The place names identify the two coastal locations: the North Beach is associated with Schwarbe and the Baltic Sea, while the beach at Drewoldke is associated with the Tromper Wiek.

Guests in the municipality can use VVR services on the Wittow and Jasmund peninsulas free of charge with a guest card issued by their accommodation provider through the AVS system. The guest card is required. As the guest card rules may change, check the current conditions before travelling.

Vorpommern-Rügen as a wider setting

The regional themes of Vorpommern-Rügen provide a broader setting than the local connections of Altenkirchen. There are an estimated 60 or so museums in the district. The old town of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar”. The beech forests in Jasmund National Park on Rügen are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe”. The Störtebeker Festival is also among the cultural events for which Vorpommern-Rügen is known.

Further examples of regional culture can be found in Putbus and Ribnitz-Damgarten. The gallery in the Orangery in Putbus presents up to eight exhibitions a year and also hosts readings and concerts. In Ribnitz-Damgarten, the gallery in the monastery preserves, maintains and manages the art collection of the district of Vorpommern-Rügen. It comprises around 500 works of painting, graphic art, sculpture, ceramics, silk painting and textile design, dating from the late 19th century to the present day. The gallery also presents a permanent exhibition of graphics by Lyonel Feininger. Check current visitor arrangements and event dates before your visit.

Attractions in Putbus, Ribnitz-Damgarten and Stralsund are part of the wider setting of Vorpommern-Rügen.

Discover more destinations: Wiek Auf Rügen, Sagard, Dranske, Breege, Glowe, Putgarten, Lohme

Return to the overarching travel guide: Amt Nord-Rügen.