Hohendorf - Greifswald

Site of the Eldena Monastery Ruins

Parts of the Eldena Monastery Ruins

Again, along a forest path, we reach the large village of Hanshagen. This place originated in the Middle Ages and features a Gothic church and an old watermill on the Hanshagerbach. Later, in Kemnitzerhagen, we come to this brook again; at its crossing, we find another pilgrim hostel. Slightly further in Kemnitz, we pass the Holy Cross Church; a short visit is worthwhile.

Bridge over the Ryck to the picturesque village of Wiek

Soon we reach the water again and at the entrance to Greifswald at the Danish Wiek, we find Eldena. There still stands the ruin of a former monastery, considered the origin of Greifswald. After a varied history, it was ultimately destroyed during the Thirty Years' War and was never rebuilt.

Now Greifswald awaits us with the former fishing village of Wieck and its still functioning bascule bridge over the Ryck, the town hall at Market Square with its info office, as well as the St. Nikolai Cathedral and a pilgrim hostel nearby.

View of the "Danish Wieck" (the bay)

Note(s)

The pilgrim route along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea has various names, in Germany for example also "Baltic-Westphalian Way of St. James." From Poland eastwards, the term "Pomeranian Way of St. James" is common. In this documentation, we remain with the cross-border name "Via Baltica," partly because of the brevity of the name, and also because pilgrims to Rome or even Jerusalem can use it as well.

See also

"The Pomeranian Way of St. James Travel Guide": www.en.re-create.pl

"Pilgrimage on the Via Baltica": www.via-baltica-verlag.de