Hagenow is a pleasant small town in the Southwest of Mecklenburg. The place, counting today about 12 400 inhabitants, was first mentioned in a document between 1190 and 1195. Full town rights, however, were granted only in 1754. Right until the 20^th century, Hagenow was a typical town of smallholders and craftsmen. In 1538, 1748 and 1766 disastrous fires destroyed great parts of the town.

Nevertheless, if you take a walk through Hagenow, you will find many old buildings dating back to the 18^th and 19^th century, many of them entirely renovated. The oldest house is situated in the Lange Strasse 82, where, according to the inscription, the contemporary "Stadtkrug" has been built in 1730. Opposite to this building you will find a half-timbered house, built in 1828 by Jessel, the brewer and distiller, which today houses the town museum.

You will, in the Museum, see, amongst others, an interesting exhibition about the craft of shoemaking, which played a major role in our town especially in the 19^th century. Special exhibitions, regularly changed, also attract many people to the museum.

When you visit Hagenow, don't fail to take a look at the smallest house of the town, the "gable end house" in Koenigsstrasse 15. According to the inscription on a crossbeam, it was constructed in 1751 and renovated with loving attention in 1993. We also recommend to make a walk up to Wittenburger Strasse 8. Here you can admire a reconstructed dormer house dating back to 1766.

Approaching Hagenow from Schwerin, you will from a distance already see the water tower, 30 metres high, a symbol of the town, and the tower of the town church. The attentive observer will notice, that church and water tower seem to change their position.

The water tower, constructed between 1905 and 1907, was used for the water-supply of the town until the 70s. After the Communist rule it was converted into flats and offices.

From the Lange Strasse, partly newly designed in 1996, you reach the town church, constructed in 1875 to 1879 in Neo-Gothic style. A remainder of the old church is the wall made of rocks on the foot of the tower. The church was entirely renovated in the 1970s.. In 1994 it acquired a new organ.

In the vicinity of the church there is a school building, the oldest part of which dates back to 1834/35. After extensive reconstruction, the building has a become a jewel of the town. This school is situated close to the "Muehlenteich" (mill pond), which was modernised between 1994 and 1996. You are invited to spend a little time at a comfortable seating area with resting facilities as well as at a great flight of steps leading to the Muehlenteich pond, since 1997 decorated by a water-jet in summertime. We also recommend to walk alongside the Muehlenteich.

The town hall is situated in Lange Strasse 28-32. The building was opened in 1935. On a copper relief plate in the entrance hall, handed over in 1993, the visitor will find a chronicle of the town. The visitor of the town may, however, discover a lot more. It is really worth discovering Hagenow.