Steintor and other Rostock, Germany Things to Do Tips

The best "Thing To Do" in Rostock is take your camera for a stroll around the city. It helps to have a friendly local with you but if you don't then a guide book and a good map will suffice.

This is the 16th century Steintor, one of the city's gates which opens in a southerly direction. There is another but I didn't get to see it. The original gate was demolished and this one built in its place in Dutch Renaissance style.

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Address: Steinstrasse
Directions: Central
Website: www.rostock.de

This beautifully decorative building was named after an old Rostock family and is today the local registry office and city archive. My host's parents were married in this building and she told me that a local custom for bachelors who, upon reaching their 30th birthday unmarried, must wash the steps of this building watched by friends and family and then kiss a virgin!

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Website: www.rostock.de

In former DDR times this building was occupied by the Russians - its purpose was never clear to the local people. Prior to 1918, it had been used by the Mecklenburg parliament.

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Address: Wallstrasse
Website: www.rostock.de

This simple stone monument to the victims of the Holocaust stands in the Rosengarten, in front of the former parliamentary building - the initials "KZ" stand for Konzentrationslager or "Concentration Camp".

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Address: Wallstrasse
Directions: Central
Website: www.rostock.de

I had assumed that Ossi had been someone famous, but my friend informed me that as the streets of Rostock are renewed, more and more of these simple engraved paving stones are being laid as reminders of the ordinary Rostock inhabitants who were vicitims of the Holocaust.

We discussed whether Ossi was an older man who had lived in the street between 1938-1942, (where we saw this plaque) but, sadly, the truth is, he was probably just a little 4 year old boy.

I was told that there are other memorials like this around the city streets but this was the only one I saw.

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Address: Altschmiedestrasse 26
Directions: Central
Website: www.rostock.de

St Mary's Church is amongst the largest churches in the whole of the Baltic area. I am told that the interior is stunning with a famous 15th century astronomical clock. Unfortunately I didn't get to see it.

My host told me that in former DDR times, whilst religious worship was not exactly forbidden, local people who attended church services .. or even whose families attended services, would not be considered for certain travel "priviliges" and employment choices would be unfairly restricted.

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Address: Neuer Markt
Directions: Central - can't be missed
Website: www.rostock.de

Since the reunification of Germany, the buildings, streets, monuments etc etc of Rostock have been, and are still being, restored to their former glory. The grey, run down and shabby buildings are quickly becoming a thing of the past, although it is still possible to see evidence here and there.

These gabled houses in New Market square have been carefully preserved and show how this city was once extremely prosperous and important in the Hanseatic league trading association.

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Address: New Market
Directions: Central
Website: www.rostock.de

The Fountain of the Joy of Life is situated in University Square. It is a DDR monument to Rostock's rebirth after WWII. My guide told me that the East Germans have no body shyness - (hence the vast amount of nudist beaches on the Baltic coast) - and that this fountain with it's nude statues happily cavorting in the water, is known locally as "The Porn Fountain". In the summer, children can play in the fountain, but it isn't on in the winter. I guess it's even too chilly for those hardy Rostockers.

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Directions: University Square
Website: www.rostock.de

This fruit and veg stall is situated in front of the Tourist Information Office - which was closed on the day I visited ( 2nd Jan.) Normally it would be open on a Tuesday but it was having some kind of staff training day.

Anyway, I was browsing a book shop and came across a humerous book called "Germany Laughs Again" - it was full of German jokes, (which are usually incomprehensible to most non-Germans :))) but this one made me laugh... (apart from anything else it was the only one I could understand!)

Customer to fruit seller:
"Are these apples German?"

Fruit seller:
"Do you want to eat them or talk to them?"

Hahahahaahahh!!!

Oh and I didn't buy any fruit or veg - I don't feel that my German skills are good enough even to communicate with a vegetable!

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Address: Neue Markt
Directions: Central
Website: www.rostock.de

The townhall with it's seven Gothic spires was beautifully illuminated when I saw it. When I visited again a couple of days later, I found a very small and interesting detail hiding in the columns at the entrance.

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Directions: Central
Website: www.rostock.de