{"id":450,"date":"2017-01-22T10:34:54","date_gmt":"2017-01-22T07:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germanyforkids.com\/blog\/?p=450"},"modified":"2017-03-22T12:35:21","modified_gmt":"2017-03-22T09:35:21","slug":"a-brief-history-of-our-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schlossleizen.com\/blog\/blog\/2017\/01\/22\/a-brief-history-of-our-region\/","title":{"rendered":"A Brief History of our region"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hanseatic<\/a>
Hanseatic Architecture Stralsund<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is impossible to ignore the rich history surrounding Schloss Leizen, all around us are reminders of the region’s past. British Queens to the Ice Age there is always something to engage young peoples minds with the past as we venture out on trips, bike rides and hikes.<\/p>\n

Germany For Kids at Schloss Leizen is in the Muritz region, part of the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (Mecklenburg Lake District) within Mecklenburg Vorpommern (Mecklenburg & West Pomerania).<\/span><\/p>\n

The area is famed for it\u2019s natural beauty due mainly to the hundreds of lakes in the region which attract and maintain unique wildlife such as White Tailed Eagles, Ospreys, Cranes and even tree-frogs. Germany\u2019s largest lake (entirely within it\u2019s borders) the Muritz is only 5 miles away from Schloss Leizen.<\/p>\n

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\"Ice<\/a>
The foundations of Schloss Leizen are made from Ice Age boulders.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lake district and Leizen itself lies on the edge of what was a huge glacier during the ice age. The land around us was formed by the glacier and the evidence is everywhere, the small hills are in fact glacial drumlins and the lakes themselves are formed by morraine dams. Morraine being all the stones rocks and sand left as a glacier melts. To this day glacial rocks and boulders turn up in farmers fields, they travelled in the ice, which may have been up to 3km thick, all the way from Scandinavia more than 12,000 years ago and are used in many local buildings, including Schloss Leizen itself.\u00a0Locally the smaler rocks are known as “Feldstein” and the larger boulders as “Findling”.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Ice<\/a>
Slavic Village open air museum at Gross Raden<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The original Germans, the Teutons, came to what is now Germany from Southern Scandinavia through Jutland (now Denmark) in the late Second Century occupying this region first before heading further south towards the Danube. This area has always been strategically significant and borders of states and countries have shifted often.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evidence of ancient settlers is all around us, not only the Leizen \u201ccastle\u201d but just a few hundred metres from our door ancient stone burial sites known as \u201cDolmens\u201d can be found made from huge boulders in nearby woods these are maybe 3-5000 years old, just a little further and on our regular cycle route to the nearby historic town of R\u00f6bel is an ancient Schwedenschanze or Landwehr a fortified border formed of a deep ditch with long mounds either side. Read more about local Dolmens on our blog here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Church<\/a>
Our local Ruin. Former church near the neigbouring vilage of Dambeck<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because of this strategic importance the region has had had many historically important noble families. The most significant member of such families was Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg Strelitz born in 1744 and raised in nearby Mirow she went on to become Queen of Great Britain and Ireland through her marriage to George the third of England in 1761. Many towns and streets around the world are named after her shortened name \u201cCharlotte\u201d, the world famous Buckingham Palace was bought for her residence and she was the grandmother of Queen Victoria. George the third, unfortunately, is most famous for his madness. Read more about Queen Chartlotte on our blog here<\/a>.<\/span>
\nMecklenburg therefore is famous for the abundance of castles, stately homes and manor houses, many of which can be visited and the Schloss where Queen Charlotte was raised and the grandest examples in Schwerin and Gustrow form part of our programme of regional trips.<\/span><\/p>\n

Update: we have a more detailed history of Schloss Leizen itself here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some noteable dates in Mecklenburg History:<\/p>\n