Neustrelitz

Neustrelitz (German: [nɔɪ̯.ˈʃtʁeː.lɪt͡s] (listen)) is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. From 1994 until 2011 it was the capital of the district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Neustrelitz
View over Neustrelitz market
Coat of arms
Location of Neustrelitz within Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Coordinates: 53°21′53″N 13°03′49″E
CountryGermany
StateMecklenburg-Vorpommern
DistrictMecklenburgische Seenplatte
Subdivisions13 districts
Government
 • MayorAndreas Grund
Area
 • Total138.15 km2 (53.34 sq mi)
Elevation
75 m (246 ft)
Population
 (2019-12-31)[1]
 • Total20,128
 • Density150/km2 (380/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
17235
Dialling codes03981
Vehicle registrationMST
Websitewww.neustrelitz.de

The name Strelitz is derived from the Polabian word Strelci, meaning "shooters".[2][3]

History

The village of Strelitz was first mentioned in 1278. It grew to a small town in the following centuries. In the 17th century Strelitz was a part of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, which ceased to exist after the death of the last duke in 1695. Afterwards the new duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was established (1701). This small duchy contained the present-day district and an exclave around Ratzeburg, which is today situated in Schleswig-Holstein.

In 1712 the castle and the town of Strelitz burnt down. After this disaster the duke and his family lived on their hunting lodge at the lake called Zierker See (Lake Zierke) to the northwest of Strelitz. Around this place the new town of Neustrelitz (New Strelitz) was constructed. It became the official capital of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1736.

Neustrelitz remained the ducal seat until 1918 and was the capital of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1918 to 1933. In 1934 it was merged with Mecklenburg-Schwerin to the Gau of Mecklenburg.

The ancient town of Strelitz continued to exist after the fire of 1712; it was a small village, which was suburbanised by Neustrelitz in 1931.

When the Red Army troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front entered the town on 30 April 1945, 681 people committed suicide.[4]

Sights and monuments

The city centre is characterised by Baroque architecture. Its heart is the Marktplatz (Market Square), with the Stadtkirche (city church), built in 1768–1778 and the opposite Rathaus (Town Hall), built in 1841 by Friedrich W. Buttel, a disciple of Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

The Baroque Neustrelitz Palace was destroyed in 1945, but the palace gardens (Schloßgarten) still exist. Worth seeing are the 18th-century Orangerie (from orange), initially used as a summerhouse, the Schloßkirche (Palace Church) built in 1855–1859 in English Neo-Gothic style, the Neoclassic Hebe temple (with a replica of a statue of the goddess Hebe), and the Louise Temple, built in 1891 in the shape of a Greek temple to house the tomb of Queen Louise of Prussia, born Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

There is a small lake, Glambeck See, where one can swim in summer in a protected area and have lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake.

Transport

The town has a station on the Berlin Northern railway and provides direct connections to Berlin and Rostock.

Entertainment

The city has hosted the popular Immergut Festival since the year 2000, attended by almost 5000 visitors each year.

Sons and daughters of the city
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels
Emil Kraepelin

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Twin towns – Sister cities

Neustrelitz is twinned with:

References
  1. "Statistisches Amt M-V – Bevölkerungsstand der Kreise, Ämter und Gemeinden 2019". Statistisches Amt Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (in German). July 2020.
  2. Room, Adrian (2006). Placenames of the world: origins and meanings of the names for 6,600 countries, cities, territories, natural features, and historic sites (2 ed.). McFarland. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-7864-2248-7. Retrieved 17 March 2011. The basic name is of Slavic origin and means '(settlement of the) archers/shooters,' from Old Slavic strela, 'arrow'.
  3. The related Polish form Strzelce is still a common toponym in Poland
  4. Lakotta, Beate (5 March 2005). "Tief vergraben, nicht dran rühren" (in German). SPON. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  5. "Schwäbisch Hall and its twin towns". Stadt Schwäbisch Hall. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
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